AIMS@JCU

AIMS and JCU have a long history of collaboration, but in 2004, the arrangement was made formal through a federally funded agreement to share facilities and expertise, this was the beginning of AIMS@JCU. Through supporting infrastructure projects and collaborating to supervise students and post graduate staff, AIMS@JCU has catalysed Townsville’s reputation as a global hub for tropical marine science.    

Over the past two decades, AIMS@JCU has nurtured the next generation of Marine Scientist, providing not just financial support through competitive scholarships and awards but expanded students’ skills and networks through regular events, including R-courses, seminar days, writing retreats, Pomodoro sessions, and morning teas. The value most commonly cherished by the students is the support they are afforded, both directly, through the office staff providing comprehensive impartial advocacy,, or indirectly by developing a community to share and encourage them through the ups and downs as they continue their marine science journey.

AIMS@JCU members benefit from access to complimentary facilities and networks at the partner organisations. Students are supervised and mentored by staff at the forefront of their field and are given the best chance to flourish and produce ground breaking and impactful work advancing our understanding of and our ability to best manage the tropical ocean.

In 2021 AIMS and JCU committed to funding AIMS@JCU through to 2031 and jointly signed The AIMS@JCU Strategic Alliance. This renewed the commitment to the collaborative success, provided for Indigenous student support as well as the join supervision of Post Doctoral fellows.  

Vision

To facilitate and foster an increased capacity for world class tropical marine research, by integrating the strengths, synergies, infrastructure and expertise of the two parent institutions, so that they collectively address the national and international priorities with leading edge science outcomes that would not have been possible by either institution on its own.

Purpose

The primary purpose of AIMS@JCU, as stated in the AIMS@JCU Strategic Alliance, is:

     - to build further capacity for strategically targeted world class tropical marine research; and

     - to identify new and emerging marine science priorities and challenges of importance to AIMS, JCU, Australia and the tropical world; and

     - to respond to these challenges with solutions that deliver beneficial impact to government, industry, the general community and Traditional Owners.

by:

     - continuing to integrate the strengths, synergies, infrastructure and expertise within AIMS and JCU, through cross-institutional collaboration; and

     - identifying strategically important research themes to focus AIMS@JCU investment to build greater capacity and critical mass;

     - supporting training and development of the next generation of scientists in priority areas determined by AIMS and JCU, through HDR training (including the pipeline of future HDR candidates) and jointly appointed early career scientists; and

     - supporting science associated training and employment pathways, including via vocational training that may lead to further tertiary study and creation of opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

AIMS@JCU will also:

     - seek to ensure that the science outcomes of research conducted within AIMS@JCU are effectively communicated to stakeholder and end-users, including policy-makers and the community; and facilitate the networking and integration of Members, especially student Members, into the wider scientific community.

Governance

AIMS@JCU is guided by a strategic alliance agreement that covers 11 years from 2022 to 2031. The document sets out a robust governance structure to ensure value for both partner institutions, and maximum benefits for members and positive outcomes for the Marine environment.

AIMS@JCU is managed by The Research Director and The Executive Committee, who make strategic and financial decisions and a Science Advisory Committee, who make decisions about scientific direction. Both committees have equal representatives from each partner institution. 

The strategic direction is determined every 3 years and reviewed annually. Both committees meet twice a year.

AIMS@JCU is administered a Secretariat who are responsible for management of AIMS@JCU.

Research Director

Dr Cherie Motti

The Research Director will:

   - focus on strategic priorities and direction for AIMS@JCU;

   - be responsible for liaising and collaborating with the GRS and the relevant Assistant Dean Research Education within each JCU College or Centre regarding the progress and management of AIMS@JCU Members who are HDR candidates;

   - hold an ex officio position representing AIMS@JCU on the JCU Research Education Sub Committee (or its replacement from time to time) for the purposes of, among other thing:staying abreast of changes to JCU HDR training and candidature policies, rules and processes; and

          - contributing to the development of HDR training and candidature policies, rules and processes to ensure that AIMS and JCU and are taking a consistent approach within AIMS@JCU; and

          - report to the Executive Committee as required by the Executive Committee from time to time; and

          - remain non-partisan in performing the role.

Executive Committee

Doctor Kameron Christopher - AIMS Director, Data Science and Research Services

Professor Ron White - JCU Dean of the College of Science and Engineering

Doctor Cherie Motti - AIMS@JCU Research Director

The Executive Committee for AIMS@JCU will comprise the following ex officio members (or their delegates):

   - AIMS Chief Research Officer;

   - JCU Dean of College of Science and Engineering; and

   - AIMS@JCU Research Director (non voting).

The purpose of the Executive Committee is:

   - to oversee the administration, progress, scientific direction and outputs of AIMS@JCU;

   - to receive advice from the Science Advisory Committee; and

   - to work with the Science Advisory Committee to build further combined capacity to identify and respond to new and emerging marine science and technology priorities and challenges of importance to JCU, AIMS, Australia and the tropical world.

Science Advisory Committee

The Science Advisory Committee is to be made up of senior research staff representing Marine Science in both partner institutions.

The purpose of the Science Advisory Committee is to:

     - identify new and emerging marine science and technology priorities and challenges;

     - set the strategic research direction for AIMS@JCU to meet these, by identifying the strategic focus for combined capacity and exploring new science opportunities that will broaden and deepen the scope of AIMS@JCU;

     - oversee the operational implementation of AIMS@JCU's strategic direction, by allocating research resources, including but not limited to:

          - recruitment of post-doctoral fellowships;

          - deciding on the award of AIMS@JCU scholarships, based on the scientific priorities set by the Committee, for both:

               - Masters (by research) scholarships; and

               - PhD scholarships;

          - providing for internships, work experience placements and relevant professional development opportunities to improve the capacity of AIMS@JCU members to participate in the strategic direction; and

          - providing for a pipeline of future students and Members.

Science Advisory Committee Members:

Doctor Claire Streten
AIMS - Research Program Director - Sustainable Coastal Ecosystems and Industry in Tropical Australia

Doctor Kamran Shafi
AIMS - Manager Data Analytics & AI

Doctor Line Bay
AIMS - Research Program Director for A Healthy and Resilient Great Barrier Reef

Tara McLaren
AIMS - Director External Relations

Dr Michelle Dyer
AIMS - Senior Research Scientist, First Nations Innovation

Professor Amy Diedrich
JCU - Professor, Earth and Environmental Science

Professor Damien Burrows 
JCU - Director of TropWATER

Professor David Bourne
JCU - Professor, Promotional Chair, Marine Biology

Professor Mia Hoogenboom  
JCU - Head - Marine Biology and Aquaculture

Professor Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi 
JCU - Professor, Promotional Chair, Engineering