Education

Education program 2003 to 2010

A key reason for establishing the Bushfire CRC in 2003 was the national shortage of bushfire researchers and the absence of a national succession plan for the few fire scientists that remained. The education program was committed under the Commonwealth Agreement to have 20 qualified PhD graduates at 2010.

The program has fostered the scientific careers of 42 researchers at PhD level, with 22 submitted by end of October 2010, and several others due to submit by early 2011. When combined with post–doctoral fellows, the Bushfire CRC can claim credit for more than 80 new researchers working in the area, many with international recognition. This is providing a lasting research capability for the industry.

Students in Program A: Safe Prevention, Preparation and Suppression

Name	Associated Projects
Annette Salter	Applications of multi-media education strategies in fire behaviour training Fire Behaviour Modelling
Bobby Chu	Design Methods for a Bushfire Sensor System Computer Simulation Modelling
Bobby Chu	Design Methods for a Bushfire Sensor System Computer Simulation Modelling
Brendan Pippen	Predicting Factors Affecting Fire Behaviour in Heathland Vegetation Fuel Classification and Availability
Danielle Martin	Development of satellite vegetation indices to assess grassland curing across Australia and New Zealand Improved methods for the assessment and prediction of grassland curing
Danielle Martin	Development of satellite vegetation indices to assess grassland curing across Australia and New Zealand Improved methods for the assessment and prediction of grassland curing
Helen Daily	Development of Pasture Growth Models for Grassland Fire Danger Risk Assessment Improved methods for the assessment and prediction of grassland curing
Helen Daily	Development of Pasture Growth Models for Grassland Fire Danger Risk Assessment Improved methods for the assessment and prediction of grassland curing
Jennifer Hollis	Coarse woody fuel availability and consumption in Australian forest fires Fuel Classification and Availability
Phil Lacy	Burning Under Young Eucalypts Fuel Classification and Availability
Phil Lacy	Burning Under Young Eucalypts Fuel Classification and Availability

Students in Program B: Management of Prescribed and Wild Fires in the Landscape

Name	Associated Projects
Adam Leavesley	The response of birds to the fire regimes of mulga woodlands in central Australia Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Adam Leavesley	The response of birds to the fire regimes of mulga woodlands in central Australia Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Alison O'Donnell	Spatio-temporal of wildfire in semi-arid southern Western Australia Multi-scale patterns in Ecological Processes and Fire Regime Impacts
Andrew Edwards	Remote Mapping of Fire Severity in Tropical Savannas of northern Australia Burning for biodiversity in tropical ecosystems
Andrew Edwards	Remote Mapping of Fire Severity in Tropical Savannas of northern Australia Burning for biodiversity in tropical ecosystems
Anne Miehs	The role of coarse woody debris (CWD) in fire-prone forests: Achieving both fire management and conservation objectives. Impacts of Fire on Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Anne Miehs	The role of coarse woody debris (CWD) in fire-prone forests: Achieving both fire management and conservation objectives. Impacts of Fire on Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Bevan McBeth	Soil, fire and physiological processes causing deterioration of coastal eucalypt forests. Tree Decline in the Absence of Fire
Bevan McBeth	Soil, fire and physiological processes causing deterioration of coastal eucalypt forests. Tree Decline in the Absence of Fire
Bryony Horton	Fire management and tree decline: mycorrhizal indicators of declining forest health Tree Decline in the Absence of Fire
Bryony Horton	Fire management and tree decline: mycorrhizal indicators of declining forest health Tree Decline in the Absence of Fire
Carola Kuramotto de Bednarik	Relative Importance of fire regimes, environmental gradients and climate change for rainforest distribution in the Sydney Region Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Carola Kuramotto de Bednarik	Relative Importance of fire regimes, environmental gradients and climate change for rainforest distribution in the Sydney Region Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Jaymie Norris	Microbial clues for ecologically sustainable management of fire-prone landscapes Multi-scale patterns in Ecological Processes and Fire Regime Impacts
Jaymie Norris	Microbial clues for ecologically sustainable management of fire-prone landscapes Multi-scale patterns in Ecological Processes and Fire Regime Impacts
Ken Scott	Population dynamics of native grasses in response to fire regimes in northern Australia Burning for biodiversity in tropical ecosystems
Ken Scott	Population dynamics of native grasses in response to fire regimes in northern Australia Burning for biodiversity in tropical ecosystems
Kerryn McTaggart	The effects of soil properties and condition on methane oxidation in Australian Alpine ecosystems with different fire histories Impacts of Fire on Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Kerryn McTaggart	The effects of soil properties and condition on methane oxidation in Australian Alpine ecosystems with different fire histories Impacts of Fire on Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Lyndsey Vivian	Determinants of variation in functional traits in mountainous plant communities Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Lyndsey Vivian	Determinants of variation in functional traits in mountainous plant communities Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Madeline Osborn	The role of fungi in fire prone eucalypt forest communities and effects of frequent burning on fungal networks. Impacts of Fire on Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Madeline Osborn	The role of fungi in fire prone eucalypt forest communities and effects of frequent burning on fungal networks. Impacts of Fire on Ecological Processes and Biodiversity
Meaghan Jenkins	Carbon budgets and implications for fuel load and flammability of shrub-dominated ecosystems in the high country. The HighFire project
Meaghan Jenkins	Carbon budgets and implications for fuel load and flammability of shrub-dominated ecosystems in the high country. The HighFire project
Philip Zylstra	Plant species contribution to fire intensity – towards a total fuels model Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Philip Zylstra	Plant species contribution to fire intensity – towards a total fuels model Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Rohan Sadler	Spatio-temporal dynamics of semi-arid grasslands Multi-scale patterns in Ecological Processes and Fire Regime Impacts
Rohan Sadler	Spatio-temporal dynamics of semi-arid grasslands Multi-scale patterns in Ecological Processes and Fire Regime Impacts
Rowena Morris	The effect of prescribed burning on sediment movement in the Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management
Rowena Morris	The effect of prescribed burning on sediment movement in the Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Regimes and Sustainable Landscape Risk Management

Students in Program C: Community Self sufficiency for Fire Safety

Name	Associated Projects
Alan Rhodes	Evaluation of community education programs Evaluating bushfire community education programs
Alan Rhodes	Evaluation of community education programs Evaluating bushfire community education programs
Briony Towers	Educating Children About Bushfire Risk and Mitigation Effective Risk Communication
Briony Towers	Educating Children About Bushfire Risk and Mitigation Effective Risk Communication
Christine Eriksen	Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Francesca Harris-Spence	The future of bushfire management? Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Francesca Harris-Spence	The future of bushfire management? Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Josh Whittaker	Coping with fire in East Gippsland: rural resilience and the 2003 Victorian bushfires Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Josh Whittaker	Coping with fire in East Gippsland: rural resilience and the 2003 Victorian bushfires Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Karyn Bosomworth	The capacity for adaptive governance (as a climate change adaptation strategy) in the Victorian fire management sector, taking its perspective from the sector's bureaucrats Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Karyn Bosomworth	The capacity for adaptive governance (as a climate change adaptation strategy) in the Victorian fire management sector, taking its perspective from the sector's bureaucrats Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Laura Kelly	Community resilience to and recovery from wildfire in New Zealand Understanding Communities
Laura Kelly	Community resilience to and recovery from wildfire in New Zealand Understanding Communities
Mae Proudley	Fire, Families and Decisions Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Mae Proudley	Fire, Families and Decisions Evaluation of "Stay or Go" Policy
Tim Prior	Community bushfire risk perception and preparedness Effective Risk Communication
Tim Prior	Community bushfire risk perception and preparedness Effective Risk Communication

Students in Program D: Protection of People and Property

Name	Associated Projects
Annemarie De Vos	Acute respiratory health effects of occupational exposure to bushfire smoke in Western Australia
Claire Johnson	Worst case scenarios: Their role in safe decision making in bushfire fighting Safe Behaviour and Decision Making
Claire Johnson	Worst case scenarios: Their role in safe decision making in bushfire fighting Safe Behaviour and Decision Making
Dane Hansen	Characterisation of the volatile organic components and heavy metals absorbed to particulates generated in bushfires Air Toxics Exposure and Management
Dane Hansen	Characterisation of the volatile organic components and heavy metals absorbed to particulates generated in bushfires Air Toxics Exposure and Management
Greg Hickey	Information flow and collaborative work in IMT and multi-agency operations Enhancing Emergency Incident Management Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning
Greg Hickey	Information flow and collaborative work in IMT and multi-agency operations Enhancing Emergency Incident Management Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning
Ian Dwyer	Communication strategies and collaborative work practices in high-reliability workplaces: A study of coordination centres Enhancing Emergency Incident Management Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning
Ian Dwyer	Communication strategies and collaborative work practices in high-reliability workplaces: A study of coordination centres Enhancing Emergency Incident Management Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning
Jan Douglas	Enhancing emergency incident management team effectiveness Enhancing Emergency Incident Management Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning
Jan Douglas	Enhancing emergency incident management team effectiveness Enhancing Emergency Incident Management Team Effectiveness and Organisational Learning
Jenni Raines	Fatigue and Recovery Fire Fighter Health and Safety
Jenni Raines	Fatigue and Recovery Fire Fighter Health and Safety
Julian Black	Predicting the dynamic spatial patterns of fire front progress and fire destruction in the rural-urban interface zone Building and Occupant Protection
Julian Black	Predicting the dynamic spatial patterns of fire front progress and fire destruction in the rural-urban interface zone Building and Occupant Protection
Matthew Phillips	The bushfire fighting test: Quantifying a safe standard of fitness and health in CFA volunteers bushfire fighters Fire Fighter Health and Safety
Matthew Phillips	The bushfire fighting test: Quantifying a safe standard of fitness and health in CFA volunteers bushfire fighters Fire Fighter Health and Safety
Peter Hayes	Getting acquainted at the IMT level Safe Behaviour and Decision Making
Peter Hayes	Getting acquainted at the IMT level Safe Behaviour and Decision Making
Sean Cowlishaw	Effects of fire service volunteering on the families of volunteers Enhancing Volunteerism
Sean Cowlishaw	Effects of fire service volunteering on the families of volunteers Enhancing Volunteerism
Yih-Pyng Lee	Community asthma and bushfires in Western Australia