QAAFI Initiatives - Winter Research Programs
Food System Horizons: Understanding Australian food system
Primary Supervisors:
Prof Damian Hine | d.hine@uq.edu.au
Dr Pradeepa Korale-Gedara | p.koralegedara@uq.edu.au
Dr Selina Fyfe | selina.fyfe@uq.edu.au
For any clarification, please contact Pradeepa Korale-Gedara (p.koralegedara@uq.edu.au) or Dr Selina Fyfe (selina.fyfe@uq.edu.au)
Duration: 4 weeks (20 - 30 hours per week); On site (St Lucia)
The modern understanding of the food system extends far beyond the mere provision of food. It encompasses the intricate web of activities involved in food production, distribution, consumption, and waste management, with profound implications for environmental sustainability, food security, and socio-economic well-being and the dynamic interplay between these components. Using a food systems approach, we aim to develop a framework to analyse the food system at UQ. This project aims to map the food environment at UQ to identify and assess the availability and access of food options for the UQ community and to understand the diversity of food environments across different community groups.
Expected outcomes: Scholars will develop their understanding of the theoretical, scientific, and policy aspects of food systems research and will develop their skills in systems thinking and food system and food environment mapping.
Suitability: This project is open for 3-4th year undergraduate students or masters students with a background in any of the following fields: agriculture, social science, food science, political science and economics.
Advanced Feedstock Diversification and Technological Innovations for Cost-Effective SAF Production in Australia
Primary Supervisors:
Dr Shabbir Ahmad | s.ahmad@uq.edu.au
Prof Damian Hine | d.hine@uq.edu.au
Please contact Dr Shabbir Ahmad (s.ahmad@uq.edu.au) before submitting an application.
Duration: 4 weeks (20 - 30 hours per week); On site (St Lucia Campus)
Our recent project on the feasibility study of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production for Australia highlights the critical role of SAF in reducing aviation sector emissions and positioning Australia as a key player in the global biofuel market. The report underscores the need for policy support, technological advancements, and investment to scale SAF production, ensuring economic feasibility and long-term sustainability. Building on these insights, this project will expand feedstock options by integrating agronomic research and spatial mapping to identify optimal, non-food-competing cultivation areas. It will assess high-yield, drought-resistant crops such as miscanthus, camelina, carinata, and pongamia, leveraging precision agriculture, GIS-based land suitability analysis, and remote sensing to optimize productivity. Pongamia, with its high oil yield and ability to thrive on marginal lands, and carinata, a low-input oilseed crop with strong biofuel potential, will be studied for large-scale SAF production. The project aims to establish a scalable, economically viable SAF supply chain, supporting Australia’s transition to low-carbon aviation through policy recommendations, investment strategies, and carbon credit incentives.
Expected outcomes: Scholar will gain skills in using advanced economic and financial tools to analyse the data spatial data on agronomic conditions, and gaining hands-on experience with GIS-based land suitability analysis. Additionally, working on this project will cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration and strategic thinking, contributing to Australia’s transition to low-carbon aviation.
Suitability: The project is open to agronomy students, preferably with a background in agribusiness and proficiency in R programming.