National Science Week 2023: Scientists to strengthen Queensland-China relations while helping the environment and fighting climate change

• Four Brisbane scientists are set to strengthen the ties between Queensland and Chinese scientists while working on projects that will benefit the environment and help combat climate change.
• The Palaszczuk Government has provided a total of $500,000 for four projects under the co-funded Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaboration Science Fund.
• The fund supports Queensland and Chinese scientists to jointly undertake innovative and practical science and research projects in priority areas that will deliver benefits for Queensland and China.

Science Minister Leanne Linard has marked Science Week 2023 by announcing that four Brisbane scientists will share in funding for projects aimed at benefitting the environment and helping combat climate change while also strengthening ties between Queensland and Chinese scientists.

The Palaszczuk Government has committed a total of $500,000 under the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaboration Science Fund to the projects, with matching funding provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The QCAS Fund supports Queensland and Chinese researchers to jointly undertake innovative and practical science and research projects in priority areas that will deliver benefits for Queensland and China.

The four scientists and their collaborative projects that will each receive $125,000 funding under the latest QCAS funding round are:

• Dr Ruirui Qiao, The University of Queensland, who is working with the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences on a Seawater-Degradable Plastic Materials project.
• Professor Zhihong Xu, Griffith University, who is working with the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences on a Nitrogen Cycle Under Climate Change project.
• Dr Justine Kemp, Griffith University, who is working with the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences investigating Past Asian-Australian Monsoon Variability.
• Professor Xiwang Zhang, The University of Queensland, who is working with the Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences on a Green Peroxide for Pollutants Removal project.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Minister for Science and Minister for Multicultural Affairs Leanne Linard:

“If we are to protect our environment from the ongoing challenge of climate change, then we need to rely on science to show us the way.

“The projects to receive funding in the latest round of the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaboration Science Fund grants program will help achieve our climate change and environmental objectives, from examining ways to lessen marine pollution, to improving water and nitrogen use throughout the ecosystem, better predictions of extreme weather events caused by climate change, and further developments in renewable energy.

“Reflecting the fact that climate change is not just a Queensland, or even Australian, but a global problem, with this funding our scientists can collaborate with their colleagues from our largest trading partner – China.

“Our collaboration with China in scientific endeavours will do much to enhance our own science development, delivering positive outcomes for all Queenslanders.”

Quotes attributable to Dr Justine Kemp, Senior Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University:

“I am delighted to be one of the four Queensland researchers to be funded through the latest grant round of the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaboration Science Fund.

“Research indicates that climate change will produce more extreme weather events across our region, but what is lacking is a proper understanding of the cross-hemispheric Monsoon response to major environmental changes in the land surface, the atmosphere, and the ocean.

“Our project with the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences will develop indices of monsoon strength from a reconstruction of past rainfall, regional ecology, and fire from selected sites in China and Australia.

“One of the outcomes of this project will be the development of real earth sciences data to allow better prediction of tropical rainfall in both countries.

“Combined with matching funding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Queensland Government’s support will ensure the continuation of this vital research.”

Further information:

Dr Ruirui Qiao’s Seawater-Degradable Plastic Materials project will develop a cost-effective seawater-degradable plastic material that will reduce marine plastic pollution and ultimately benefit marine environment management in both Australia and China.

Professor Zhihong Xu’s Nitrogen Cycle Under Climate Change project will develop and test novel Nitrogen-15 (N-15) technologies to improve our understanding of the nitrogen cycle in terrestrial ecosystems under climate change. It will also develop and apply tree ring N-15 technologies for fingerprinting climate extremes and bushfires; and will develop and apply climate smart and biochar (charcoal)-based technologies for dragon fruit by improving water- and nitrogen-use efficiency.

Dr Justine Kemp’s Past Asian-Australian Monsoon Variability project will develop monsoon strength indices from environmental records of rainfall, regional ecology, and fire, using strategically selected lakes in China and Australia. These million-year sediment records allow identification of environmental drivers of the monsoons through major changes in ocean-land configuration, CO2 and earth climates. The project will result in better prediction of tropical rainfall in both China and Australia.

Professor Xiwang Zhang Green Peroxide for Pollutants Removal project will develop a sustainable technology for emerging micropollutants removal in water, achieved by an innovative process to couple on-site hydrogen peroxide production and advanced oxidation processes together, resulting in the development of a prototype device driven by renewable electricity for efficient on-site hydrogen peroxide production; and an in-depth scientific understanding of selective degradation pathways of organic micropollutants.

The Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaboration Science Fund was established between the Queensland Government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009. 

The agreement between the Queensland Government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences was renewed in November 2015, with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2019 providing a four-year commitment of $1.875 million over a four-year period from 2019 to this latest funding round.

Further information on the Queensland-Chinese Academy of Sciences Collaboration Science Fund is available here.

ENDS

Media contact: Scott Chandler – (07) 3719 7339