AIMS at JCU

✨Building on more than 20 years of collaboration and impact✨

As the year gets underway, we’re looking ahead to another exciting year at AIMS@JCU, continuing a partnership that has supported students, researchers and marine science for over two decades.

Throughout 2026, we’ll be bringing our community together through morning teas alternating between AIMS and JCU, a writing retreat, R-Course, Student Seminar Day, scholarship opportunities, awards, and a range of other activities that support connection, capability building and collaboration.

We’re proud of what has been built over the past 20+ years — and even more excited about what’s ahead. Keep an eye out for upcoming event announcements.

Image: © AIMS | Andre Rerekura

Applications are now open for two 3.5-year PhD scholarships in boosting coral resilience, commencing in 2026

Learn more:
👉https://aims.jcu.edu.au/phd-scholarships/

👉Closing date for initial application: 30th January 2026

🌍 AIMS@JCU Alumni | Where are they now?

We’re delighted to shine a spotlight on Dr Bettina Glasl, an AIMS@JCU alumna whose research journey has taken her from Australia to Europe!

🔬 Where Bettina is now
Senior Scientist
Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS)
University of Vienna, Austria

🧭 Career journey since AIMS@JCU
After completing her PhD, Bettina was awarded a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship from the Austrian Science Fund, enabling her to relocate to Vienna and join the laboratory of Prof. Michael Wagner. In 2024, she joined CeMESS at the University of Vienna as a Senior Scientist, where her research focuses on sponge–microbe interactions.

🤝 The AIMS@JCU impact
“The connections I made during my time at AIMS@JCU have been invaluable to my career. The collaborations I started with AIMS researchers during my PhD are still going strong. AIMS@JCU provided an incredible, nurturing and inspiring environment in which I was able to grow as a researcher, and I am grateful to have been part of it.”

Learn more about Bettina’s work
👉 https://lnkd.in/gjP8zt_T

📸 Photo credit: CeMESS / Thomas Suchanek

🎉 Congratulations, Dr Alzayat Saleh!

AIMS@JCU is proud to celebrate our Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Alzayat Saleh, who has been named the 2025 Early Career Researcher Open Access Champion at the JCU Open Access Week Awards.

A fantastic achievement and well-deserved recognition! 👏📚✨

Join us for the final AIMS@JCU Morning Tea for 2025! 

We’re excited to welcome special guest speaker Dr Gemma Galbraith. Gemma will share her journey “Connecting the dots from PhD to Postdoc” — from the UK’s estuaries to the reefs of Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef.

Date: 24 November 2025

Time: 9:30am

Location: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Cape Cleveland.

Come along for great conversation, a cuppa, and an inspiring talk!

RSVP by 14 November! (Essential for catering) – email [email protected] 

           

Join us for structured, distraction free writing using the pomodoro technique! Bring your laptop, grab a coffee, and get in the zone! Message us for further info!

What a celebration! 🎉
Two days, two campuses, and twenty years of AIMS@JCU excellence 🌊

Day 1 showcased outstanding student seminars, 3MT speed talks, and poster presentations, highlighting the depth and diversity of research across AIMS and JCU.
Day 2 at AIMS’ Townsville site (Nilgoolerburdda), on Bindal Country, focused on cultural engagement, featuring a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, and powerful discussions led by AIMS’ Indigenous Partnerships team.

🌟 Congratulations to our 2025 AIMS@JCU Seminar Day winners!

🏆 Seminar Talks:
Tiny Remmers (winner) | Raf Rashid (runner-up) | Sina Ehlert (people’s choice)

⚡ 3MT Speed Talks:
Peter Lowley (winner) | Alex Macadam (runner-up)

🐠 Posters:
Ingo Miller (winner) | Nicolas Mafla Viscarra (runner-up)

📸 Photography:
Ingo Miller (Quantitative Marine Science, Research Subject & Research in Action) | Greta Zampa (Photomicrograph/Macro & People’s Choice)

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate 20 years of collaboration, connection, and world-class marine science.

Here’s to the next 20 years of discovery! 💙

🎉 We’re super excited to welcome you all to the AIMS@JCU 20-Year Celebration & Annual Student Seminar this week!
Two days of science, culture, and connection as we celebrate 20 years of collaboration between AIMS and JCU 🌊

AIMS@JCU turns 20! 🎉🌊
👉 RSVP essential! Just message us for the links!

Day 1 @ JCU: Student Seminar, posters & speed talks, Post-doc Q&A, then drinks, canapés & awards.

Day 2 @ AIMS: Talks with Indigenous staff, students & partners, an Ask Us Anything session, and meet the teams who help you navigate cultural pathways & build strong two-way partnerships. (Transport provided)

Got a story to share? [email protected]