Industry collaboration drives marine research innovation

By Lucy Stafford 

CQUniversity’s Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC) has strengthened its industry partnerships following a visit from technology and mapping specialists to its Gladstone facility earlier this month.

The visit brought researchers and industry together to explore how new monitoring and imaging technologies can support marine science, aquaculture and coastal ecosystem research.

Representatives from Scientific Instruments Australia and GIS People met with CMERC researchers to discuss practical ways advanced technology could improve how marine environments are studied and monitored.

CQUniversity Senior Research Fellow in Marine Vegetation Physiology and Ecology Dr Manoj Kumar led the visit. 

Dr Kumar said collaboration with industry partners played an important role in turning research into real-world outcomes.

“Working closely with industry allows us to combine scientific knowledge with cutting-edge technology,” Dr Kumar said.

“These partnerships help us better understand how marine ecosystems respond to environmental change while also developing practical solutions that support sustainable aquaculture and coastal management.”

A key highlight of the visit was showcasing the research of CQUniversity PhD scholar Jasmine Rajai, an Elevate Scholar supported through a partnership between Scientific Instruments Australia and CQU.

Ms Rajai’s research focuses on Asparagopsis taxiformis, a species of red seaweed being developed as a livestock feed additive that can significantly reduce methane emissions from cattle.

Her work investigates how environmental conditions influence the seaweed’s reproduction, with the goal of improving hatchery production and supporting the rapidly growing seaweed aquaculture industry.

“Understanding how this seaweed reproduces under different conditions helps us grow it more reliably at scale,” Ms Rajai said.

“That’s important because it supports the development of a sustainable industry that can help reduce agricultural emissions while creating new aquaculture opportunities.”

During the visit, researchers demonstrated the FluorCAM system, a specialised monitoring tool provided by Scientific Instruments Australia. The technology allows scientists to closely track how seaweed responds to stress and changing environmental conditions, helping improve growing methods and seedstock reliability.

Discussions also explored how satellite data and geospatial mapping technology could be combined with on-ground monitoring to strengthen CMERC’s seagrass research programs. Integrating these approaches will allow researchers to map habitats more accurately, detect early signs of environmental stress and better track restoration efforts over time.

Dr Kumar said the collaboration highlights the importance of industry partnerships in training future scientists while accelerating innovation in marine research.

“By bringing together expertise in marine biology, data science and advanced monitoring technologies, we can deliver research that has meaningful environmental and industry impact,” Dr Kumar said.

CMERC plans to continue expanding these collaborations to enhance large-scale monitoring of seagrass, mangrove and seaweed ecosystems, supporting more sustainable aquaculture practices and evidence-based coastal management into the future.