Education
2021
Doctor of Philosophy, Coastal Engineering & Marine Ecology
‘Seagrass and coastal protection: separating myths from facts‘
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2018
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2012
BEng (Environment) Hons I
School of Environmental Engineering, Griffith University, QLD, Australia
Honours and Awards
2023
Finalist, Rising Star Level A/B Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland
2022
Highly Commended, Young Professional Engineer of the Year, Engineers Australia
2022
Finalist (QLD), Young Professional Engineering of the Year, Engineers Australia
2022
Highly Commended, Max Day Environmental Science Fellowship, Australian Academy of Science
2021
People’s Choice Award Winner & Fresh Science Finalist, Science in Public
2021
Registered Professional Engineering of Queensland (RPEQ) Civil & Environment, Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland
2021
Chartered Environmental Engineer, Engineers Australia
2021
Chartered Civil Engineer, Engineers Australia
2018
Best Poster Presentation, The University of Queensland
Engineering, Architecture, Information and Technology Postgraduate Conference, QLD, Australia
2017
Winner: People’s Choice Award, Three Minute Thesis, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2011
Academic Excellence Award, Faculty of Engineering, Griffith University, QLD, Australia
2008
Student Leadership Award, Faculty of Engineering, Griffith University, QLD, Australia
2012
Winner, Engineers Without Borders Challenge: Griffith Chapter, QLD, Australia
Research Grants
2023
Coastal & Ocean Research Fund, CSIRO and The University of Queensland ($14,000)
2016
Moreton Bay Research Station PhD Research Scholarship, The University of Queensland ($2,500)
2016
Moreton Bay Research Station in partnership with Sibelco Australia Scholarship, The University of Queensland ($2,000)
Scholarships
2016-2019
Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship, The University of Queensland (equivalent to $92,000)
2017-2019
Top-Up Scholarship, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland (equivalent to $3500)
2016
Top-Up Scholarship, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland (equivalent to $3500)
Research Presentations
Conference Presentations
1. Twomey, A., O’Brien, K., Callaghan, D., Saunders, M. (2022) Wave drag coefficient useful for nature: seagrass-based coastal protection design in estuaries, 37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Sydney, Australia (4-9 December)
2. Twomey, A., Baker, A., Waltham, N., Lovelock, C. (2022) Hydrological restoration for blue carbon in Queensland, Australia, ECSA 59: Using the best scientific knowledge for the sustainable management of estuaries and coastal seas, San Sebastian, Spain (5-8 September)
3. Twomey, A, (2021) Coastal erosion reduction by seagrass: not all species are equal, International Conference for Young Marine Researchers, Berlin, Germany (21-24 September)
4. Lovelock, C, Arnaud, M, Hill, J, Twomey, A, (2021) Mangrove Roots: Form & Function, Plant Environmental Physiology Group Workshop 2021, hosted by the British Ecological Society and the Society for Experimental Biology, United Kingdom (5-11 September)
5. Twomey, A, (2018) Optimising seagrass for coastal defence, ECSA 57: Changing Estuaries, Coasts and Shelf Systems, Perth, WA, Australia (3-6 September)
6. Twomey, A, (2018) Seagrass as green infrastructure. Biology Postgraduate Conference, Moreton Bay Research Station, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (5-7 February)
Poster Presentations
7. Twomey, A., (2022) Guiding wetland restoration: tidal prism & creek geometry, Moreton Bay Regional Roadshow, Moreton Bay Research Station, QLD, Australia (30 July).
8. Twomey, A, (2018) Optimising seagrass for coastal defence. University of Queensland Engineering, Architecture, Information and Technology Postgraduate Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (6 June)
Departmental Presentations
9. Twomey, A, (2020) Seagrass protects our coasts, right? Shoreline morphodynamics explained, AECOM Water Team Technical Talk, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (13 October)
10. Twomey, A, (2018) Seagrass and wave attenuation: a meta-analysis, Centre for Marine Science Seminar Series, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (15 March)
11. Twomey, A, (2017) Seagrass for coastal defence, Three Minute Thesis Competition: School of Chemical Engineering Heat, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (12 July)
Science Communication Presentations
12. Twomey, A, (2022) Seagrass to Saltmarsh: Defenders of our Coast, Pint of Science Festival 2022, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (10 May)
13. Twomey, A, (2018) Seagrass, defenders of the coast! Coast to Coral Talk Series, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (26 June)
Service to Profession
Research Higher Degree Supervision
2021 – present
PhD Associate Advisor, Linking hydrology to elevation: accretion and subsidence of intertidal mangrove areas, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2022
Hons Associate Advisor, Investigating the role and opportunities of dead mangrove forests for seagrass habitat, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2021
Masters Supervisor, Literature Review: Evaluating nature-based solutions for coastal protection, Marine Biotechnology Master’s Course, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australiia
Mentorship
2021 – present
Mentor, Meet a Mentor Program, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2021 – present
Mentor, HDR Career Development Mentoring Program, Graduate School, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
Reviewer for Scientific Journals
Science of the Total Environment
Ecological Engineering
Ocean Engineering
Coastal Engineering
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Journal of Sea Research
Reviewer for Conferences
37th International Conference on Coastal Engineering (2022)
External Service
2021
Industry Reviewer, Engineers Without Borders Challenge, Engineers Without Borders Australia
Departmental and University Service
2022 – present
Committee Member (Research & Teaching), Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Early Career Researchers, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2021 – present
Committee Member, Centre for Marine Science, Early and Mid-Career Researchers, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2021
Seminar Host, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, QLD, Australia
2014-2015
Committee, Member, ANZ Graduate Development Program, SMEC, QLD, Australia
2012
Committee, Member, Griffith University Environmental Engineering Society, QLD, Australia
2009-2012
Engineering Student Ambassador, Griffith University
Service to Community
Outreach
2022 – present
Origin Energy Women in STEM Speaker for remote and regional high schools
2021 – 2022
Flying Scientist, Wonder of Science, QLD, Australia
2021 – 2022
Speaker & Pitching Coach, Inspiring Women in Science and Health (IWiSH), Matthew Flinders Anglican College
2021
Yarning with the CSIRO’s Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy participants from Cairns State High School
2021
Speaker at the ‘Meet the Marine Scientist’ Event for Brisbane South Secondary School
2015
Panellist – Environmental Engineering, UQ Women in Engineering Event
2010 – 2011
Uni-Reach Mentor, Griffith University
2010 – 2011
Uni-Key Mentor, Griffith University
Science Communication Videos
2020
“Seagrass, defenders of our coasts!” Submission to the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Early Career Researcher Showcase.
Volunteer Service
2020 – 2022
Principal Investigator, eOceans ‘Our Oceans in COVID-19’ project
2020
Field Assistant, Earth Watch: Recovery of the Great Barrier Reef, QLD, Australia
2017
Organiser/Founder of ‘Clean up a National Park’ event, University of Queensland’s Mountain Club, QLD, Australia
2017
Research Assistant, Coastal Engineering Group, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
2017
Field Assistant, Seagrass monitoring, Healthy Land and Water, QLD, Australia
2012
Field Assistant, Wallaby catching and tagging, Griffith University PhD Project, QLD, Australia
2011
Field Assistant, Earth Watch: Turtles in Trouble; Turtle necroscopy program, Moreton Bay Research Station, QLD, Australia
Teaching Experience
2023
Lecturer – Course: Physical-Biological Oceanography (MARS3012)
Added new interactive activities to existing course lecture content. Delivered interactive tutorials.
2022
Lecturer – Course: Aquatic Environments (ENVM2003)
Developed new and built upon existing content to teach several topics including; coral reefs, seagrass, macroalgae and the role of productivity in the ocean. I linked the required content to real world application by adding in interviews with restoration practitioners.
2022
Guest Lecturer – Course: Physical-Biological Oceanography (MARS3012)
Developed content for a guest lecture linking physical and biological oceanography within the context of coastal wetlands and morphodynamics of Moreton Bay. Developed a field exercise which required students to learn, and practice new field work skills to develop a hypothesis based on their data collection.
2022
Lecturer – Course: Living Oceans (MARS1001)
Added to existing course content and developed blended learning activities to engage students. Developed a combination of hands-on activities including adding challenge questions for students to answer and discuss using mentimeter, conducting experiments in class and using learning aids to teach difficult to understand concepts such as teaching Coriolis forces by drawing on spinning paper plates.
2022
Guest Lecturer – Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Visiting Students
Developed content for an ‘Ecology in Action’ presentation illustrating how researchers collect data and work in the field in Australian coastal settings. I developed an experiment using my wave flume to illustrate how different coastal ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass) attenuate waves different and how this contributes to the geomorphological setting of a coastline.
2022
Teaching Assistant – Course: Advanced Ecology (BIOL2910)
Selected coastal ecology publications to be studied in an Advanced Coastal Ecology Workshop. Developed teaching and assessment material for the students. Assessed verbal presentations, interactive assessment, and written reports.
2022
Subject Matter Teacher – MEGA Day (Marine Science, Earth & Environmental Science, Geography & Agricultural Science Teachers).
Develop teaching materials based on the Queensland Department of Education’s Syllabus for year 11 and 12 and deliver materials to MEGA teachers through both presentation and demonstration.
2022
Guest Lecturer – Biology Day for Scientific Technicians, The University of Queensland
Create and deliver presentation materials to an audience of Scientific Technicians and high school biology teachers on ‘ecology in action’. The presentation highlighted specific field techniques and data collection methods and their respective challenges.
2017 & 2019
Tutor/Guest Lecturer – Course: Environmental Systems Engineering (CHEE2501)
Lead field trip activities, developed and delivered 2 hrs of lectures, and led a 2 hr field sample collection and analysis, assisted in the development of assignments and exams, marked both written and oral presentations.
2018
Graduate Teaching Associates Program – The University of Queensland
Attended teaching workshops, professional development activities and received mentoring aiming to enhance my teaching. My teaching and practical application of what was learnt in the workshops was observed and assessed and I received the Award of a Graduate Teaching Associate Certificate and gained recognition as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
2016-2018
Laboratory Tutor/Demonstrator – Course: Catchment Hydraulics: Open Channel Flow & Design (CIVL3140)
‘Open Channel Hydraulics’
Taught open-channel hydraulics in a wet laboratory, demonstrated and assessed 3 hrs (weekly) of laboratory experiments.
Media Coverage
2022
Featured in News Story, 7NEWS Townsville news story about the World Science Festival QLD, Australia
2021
Research News Article, ‘From grey to green: Seagrass instead of seawalls to keep our shorelines where they are” published on www.phys.org by FreshScience, Australia
2021
Invited Interview, Discussed erosion on Byron Bay’s Main Beach with Channel 7 NSW, Australia
2016
Island Research Stations Newsletter, The University of Queensland
Professional Memberships
Member, Engineers Australia (MIEAust)
Women in Technology
Australian Marine Sciences Association