Postgraduate and Honours Study

Welcome to the Centre for Ecosystem Management. We hope the information provided here answers all your questions about studying with us.

The Centre is the research arm of the School of Natural Sciences within Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia and is based on the fundamental belief that effective ecosystem management is best achieved through an interdisciplinary approach. The Centre for Ecosystem Management promotes an integrative approach to ecosystem management recognising the roles of research, consultation and education in analysing and resolving environmental problems. The School of Natural Sciences has an exciting postgraduate program, offering degrees in Biological Science and Environmental Management. All postgraduates within the School are Associate members of the Centre. Students-to-supervisor ratios are low, which means a closer working relationship with your supervisor and a tight-knit group of postgraduate students. Typically, there are between 30 and 50 postgraduate students enrolled at any one time. The Centre for Ecosystem Management also has close links with other universities and research organisations within the country, providing a wide range of options for collaborative research programs.

Career Opportunities

Apart from providing you with the opportunity to pursue research in a supportive environment, a postgraduate degree from the School of Natural Sciences has been proven to provide excellent career prospects. As a postgraduate from the School you will have a wide range of career options, including government, resource management and conservation agencies, environmental consultancies, eco-tourism, university and government research organisations, and as political advisers/researchers. Postgraduate qualifications will demonstrate your ability to undertake independent research and to analyse and solve problems.

Below are some testimonials from past postgraduate students:

Since completing my PhD on macroalgae in the Swan-Canning Estuary, I have undertaken a two year Postdoctoral Fellowship in South Africa, after which I returned to Perth and am now working with the marine consulting firm D.A. Lord and Associates Pty Ltd. I think these opportunities have been afforded to me as a result of the multidisciplinary exposure I received from the fantastic group of academics that make the Department of Environmental Management and ECU Joondalup
Dr Helen Astill.

On completing my MSc I started with Evans and Tate Margaret River winery as the Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, running the WWTP and doing all associated reporting and licensing required for the facility. I soon moved to a truer Environmental Management role, which included making submission to the Dept. of Environment and other government regulatory authorities on behalf of the Evans & Tate Wine Group.
I helped form and am currently Chairperson of the Wine Industry Environmental Management Focus Group, which focuses on developing relationships between industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities, ensuring environmental information is made available to industry stakeholders.
I am currently the Western Australian representative on the Wine Industry National Environmental Committee (WINEC) which sets the strategic policy for Winemakers Federation of Australia (WFA) in relation to environmental issues.
I have recently been promoted to Evans and Tate Wine Group Environmental Manager located in Victoria. The ETWG has two production facilities in Victoria and one in New South Wales. I will continue to monitor WWTP operations in Margaret River, will be involved in project managing the construction of a new WWTP at the ETWG's Griffith winery and will aim to significantly reduce the environmental impacts resulting from wastewater disposal at the Mildura winery.
Jean-Michel Benier.

Since completing my honours degree in 1996, I have been employed in three positions. As a Landcare Coordinator in the WA Wheatbelt I was able to put the understanding I gained through my honours degree immediately to work. A year later as a researcher and assistant producer with a New Zealand television documentary production company, I was able to apply my university developed research, communication, project management and writing skills to the world television arena. Two Emmy Award nominations were a part of the accolades I received whilst in NZ. Currently I am employed as the West Australian Coordinator for Coastwest/Coastcare. My ability to excel in these positions is a reflection on the level of excellence provided by the School and Centre.
Martin Heller.

Centre Benefits

The University's policy is to provide postgraduate students with laboratory and office space. Postgraduates are provided with photocopiers, computers and printers within their laboratory/office space, as well as access to the University Computing Centre computers. The Centre supplements these basic facilities to increase access especially to computers.

The Centre will cover the cost of registration and talk/poster production costs for conferences in Perth and has regular competitive calls for conference support for interstate/international conferences.
The Centre has regular competitive calls for field and research equipment expenses support for postgraduate projects.
The Centre provides incentives for postgraduates to publish papers in the scientific literature.
The Centre contributes to facilities available to postgraduates by supplying an extra 4WD vehicle and other analytical and field equipment.
The Centre runs a regular seminar series with contributors from state agencies, the private sector, universities, visiting researchers and the Centre's own research staff and students.

Postgraduate and Honours Courses

The following courses of study are available through the School of Natural Sciences, which has direct involvement with the Centre.

Research Topics

Further information on Postgraduate and Honours research topics available through the Centre can be viewed on individual members' pages.

Further Information

Contact the Co-ordinators.

Dr Mark Lund
(Master of Environmental Management Co-ordinator)

Telephone: (61 8) 6304 5644
E-mail: m.lund@ecu.edu.au
Room: 19.123 Joondalup Campus

Dr Ray Froend
(Honours & Postgraduate Co-ordinator)