IAE research partnerships

The IAE draws researchers and institutions together to undertake research of significance. We actively work to strengthen strategic alliances with other research organisations, government agencies, industry organisations and individuals with complementary facilities and capacity. This approach has resulted in strong and lasting research collaborations both nationally and internationally.

Cooperative Research Centres

Members of the IAE were central to the formation of the Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology (now eWater CRC) in 1991 and in locating the Invasive Animals CRC headquarters at the University of Canberra in 2005. In addition to contributing to CRC research outputs, the IAE leads the Education programs of both eWater and Invasive Animals CRCs, adding quality and opportunity to the research programs of over 40 PhD students Australia wide. The combination of these two large CRCs and the IAE centres the University of Canberra firmly at the heart of environmental research in Australia.

The ARC Environmental Futures Network

The University of Canberra and the IAE are contributing members of the ARC Environmental Futures Network, which brings together winning teams to undertake research on understanding Australia's evolutionary and ecological past, to better predict the future. The Network provided unparalleled opportunity for research staff and students to work broadly across environmental science disciplines.

Other national research links

Researchers within the IAE have, through collaborative ARC and industry funded grants and contracts, developed strong links with leading researchers in many Australian institutions. These include, among many, the Australian National University, Adelaide University, University of Queensland, Charles Darwin University, Griffith University, ACT Department of Territory and Municipal Services and the NSW Department of Primary Industry.

Through our research and this strong collaborative approach, the IAE has contributed to key initiatives in land and water management strategies and environment protection protocols, including frameworks for the Assessment of River and Wetland Health prepared for the National Water Commission and the National Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines.

International Collaborations

Researchers at the IAE have strong links with international organisations, including researchers in Europe, the Pacific and the Americas.

Among the most long-running and productive of these are collaborations with the University of British Columbia (population growth rates of lynx and snowshoe hares), Harvard University (sex determination in reptiles), University of California (phylogenetics of turtles), Hermholtz Institute for the Environment (conservation biology of threatened fauna), the US Environmental Protection Authority (river health assessment) and Landcare Research NZ (disease dynamics in wildlife).

International collaborations have served to develop the reputation of the IAE, attracting high quality postgraduate students from the USA, France, Germany, New Zealand, Mexico and Brazil.

Research in Papua New Guinea, supported by Oil Search (PNG) Ltd is not only expanding the frontier of knowledge about the endangered pig-nosed turtle but also developing the knowledge and skills of indigenous peoples who work on projects in their regions.