Wisdom Seekers: Regeneration
DR TALITHA SANTINI, SENIOR LECTURER,
GOLAM TAKI, PHD STUDENT.
TRANSCRIPT
SUPERS
UWA presents
WISDOM SEEKERS
10:45AM – 28 FEBURARY 2020, Grace Scullett-Dean, PHD STUDENT
VO
My name’s Grace Scullett-Dean. I’m doing a PHD at UWA in Environmental Science.
I followed my supervisor Talitha Santini over here. I was really attracted to her research, and so I chose to follow her over to Perth to start my PHD at UWA.
What’s most exciting to me about soil is that we’re in the middle of a soil crisis.
We’re depleting soils globally far quicker than we produce them naturally.
In this trial we are having a look at how we can transform bauxite residue – which is a by-product of aluminium production – into a productive soil.
We’re combing a range of different amendments to try and transform this material, so we’re testing out these blends right here.
Bauxite residue is highly alkaline and saline, so we are trying to reduce the salinity and alkalinity using different waste amendments.
This project is directly connected with industry, because it’s fully funded by South 32 –
an aluminium company.
Working with industry is great for us, because it gives us an opportunity to translate our fundamental research into real world impact.
Western Australia is a major global producer of bauxite and alumina, so this research is of direct relevance to the Western Australian economy.
I would definitely say that Environmental Science is a very exciting field to work in.
Studying here at UWA, being surrounded by highly motivated people
SUPERS
UWA School of Agriculture and Environment is working closely with industry partners as part of their ongoing rehabilitation of mine sites, tailings, and soils impacted by mining activities.
In collaboration with industry partners, UWA hopes to improve environmental management in the minerals industry and establish Australia as a world leader in tailings management.
Seek Wisdom. UWA.
Grace Scullett-Dean and Golam Taki, PhD students, are on a mission to take waste products from mining and turn them into something useful – soil.
Originally from Toowoomba, Queensland, Grace followed her supervisor, Dr Talitha Santini, over to the west coast to complete her PhD in Environmental Science at UWA.
“Talitha has been a great mentor to me, especially as a female researcher in this field. It’s very inspiring to see someone like that working in this area, and it definitely inspired me to keep studying Environmental Science.”
Together, along with fellow PhD student Golam Taki, they are working to transform bauxite ore residue – a by-product of aluminium production – into a ‘soil’ to host vegetation.
We’re in the middle of a soil crisis. We are depleting soils globally far quicker than we produce them naturally. Western Australia is a major global producer of bauxite and alumina, so this research is of direct relevance to the WA economy. Dr Talitha Santini
The project is funded by South 32, a Perth mining and metals company originally part of BHP Billiton, in collaboration with Alcoa Australia. “We’re not just in a lab…Working with them [means] we can see our research in the field put into action, to solve real world problems,” she said of the industry partnership.
Grace also received a prestigious Western Australian Government Science Industry PhD Fellowship for her project. The fellowship aims to support science and industry collaboration and help PhD students studying STEM make an impact in economic high growth areas.
And Grace isn’t just making connections with industry. As a newcomer to Perth, Grace was welcomed with open arms into a community of other PhD students. She says she’ll stay in contact with the people she’s met at UWA for life.
Studying here at UWA, being surrounded by highly motivated people who are researching exciting new things definitely gives me a lot of hope for the future Grace Scullett-Dean
