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UNSW PhD or Masters by Research theses can be located via  UNSWorks . For honours theses, contact the UNSW faculty, school or the author directly.

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Finding Australian and international theses

Australian theses.

To find Australian theses, search via:

Library collection To find UNSW Library’s collection of Australian and international theses in print, search  Library collection  for a title or keywords. Refine your results by selecting  Refine my results > Resource types > Dissertations  in the column on the left.

Trove - Australian print and digital theses Trove includes theses at all levels, including PhD, masters and honours. To limit your search to Australian theses only, use  Trove - Research & Reports  search. Tick the  Australian content  box. Next to  Format - select  Thesis  from the drop-down list.

International theses

To find international theses, search via:

BASE BASE academic search engine provides access to the repositories of 8,000 institutions. 60% of the full-text documents are open access.

CORE CORE aggregates open access research outputs from repositories and journals worldwide.

DART-Europe e-theses portal DART-Europe is a partnership of research libraries and library consortia working to improve global access to European research theses.

EBSCO open dissertations Includes the content from American Doctoral Dissertations in addition to theses and dissertations from around the world. Coverage from 1955.

Open access theses and dissertations OATD provides access to open access graduate theses from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions.

Theses Canada Theses and dissertations in the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) collection.

Web of Science The Web of Science ProQuest Dissertations & Theses collection provides access to the citation information of theses form around the world. To search for thesis citations, change the search from Web of Science Core Collection to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index .

Non-UNSW theses

To obtain a thesis that is not available via the resources listed above, contact the library of the holding/publishing institution directly. Conditions of access to a thesis are determined by the author and holding library, and is outside the control of UNSW Library.

Depositing your thesis

How to  deposit  your UNSW thesis.

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Structuring Your Thesis Proposal

How should i structure the proposal.

The following sections are recommended for your research proposal report. Check with your supervisors for optional sections, variations and additional sections that may be required.

Routine information

This can be a full cover page or a quarter page header.

• Address, telephone and email details
• Degree for which you are a candidate
• Supervisor's and co-supervisor's names
• Thesis proposal title

Statement of Topic

Introduce the reader to the recognised general subject area and how your topic is related. Briefly point out why it is a significant topic and what contribution your work will make.

Aims of the thesis/dissertation

Set out specific objectives of the research.

Review of the literature

This, together with the following section on the theoretical orientation, will be the main substance of the proposal and will lay the basis for your discussions of your methods and your total research program.

The literature review should explain the relation of your topic and research aims to significant literature and recent (and current) research in your field. The form of the literature review may vary according to the nature of your field: experimental, philosophical, theoretical, comparative, etc., but its purpose will be the same in all fields. The literature review should place your proposed research topic clearly in its relevant research context, and should demonstrate your awareness of significant similar or relevant research.

You may need to make qualitative judgements concerning the literature. Be careful not to allow the evaluation of previous work to become a large open-ended task. You should consult with your supervisors on the types of questions you need to be asking and what boundaries you should place on your literature review.

In one sense the literature review for the proposal is incomplete. You will continue to expand and update the literature as your research progresses and as you locate new publications. The final literature review will be included in your thesis.

Ask yourself:

• Which pieces of research seem to have been most successful, the most promising and which less so?
• What are the major lines of criticism that can be levelled at previous work?
• What major omissions, gaps or neglected emphases can be identified?

Theoretical orientation

Your aim here is to state your basic ideas on the topic.

• First, state the various theoretical approaches taken in your topic. Which one do you propose to use in your research and why? Where, tentatively do you stand on the topic?
• If there are various theories on your topic or in your field, which one(s) will you use in your conceptual framework for your thesis?
• Which terms or trends do you wish to follow up from the literature review?
• Do you have any fresh suggestions of an explanatory, interpretative, or programmatic kind?

Think it through:

• Perhaps the best way to approach this section is to set down your main insights, hypotheses, hunches, or even hopes about your topic.
• In view of past theory and research, and your emerging issues, what are the areas that you expect to have findings?
• For empirical theses you may need to formulate explicit hypotheses.

Methodology

Describe your proposed methods in sufficient detail so that the reader is clear about the following:

• What kind of information will you be using?
• From what sources will the information be obtained?
• What resources will you require?
• What methodology will you be using?
• Why have you selected this approach?
• What ethical and safety issues have you identified and how do you propose to proceed?

Research program timelines and milestones

Timelines and milestones are important tools for planning your research project effectively and completing your thesis on time.

Milestones are the steps you need to take to meet your goals. Timelines help you plan out when your key goals and milestones will be completed.

Your timeline can be formatted as a table or a list. Include when you will start and finish important aspects of your research, such as: literature research, required training or attending courses, stages of experiments or investigations, beginning and completing chapters, reviews and seminars you will give, and completing the thesis.

The Graduate Research School (GRS) provides resources and seminars on developing effective milestones and preparing for Research Progress Reviews. For more information, visit this page .

Tentative thesis chapter outline

You should check with your supervisor if this is a required section of the thesis proposal. Present the chapter outline as a draft contents page with brief annotations of expected content or stages. Follow the standard sections relevant to your type of research. Look at past theses in your area and discuss your ideas with your supervisor.

List all publications cited in your proposal. Use the style recommended by the school or your supervisor. This may be a standard style the whole school follows or it may be the style of the leading journal in your field.

Recommended reading and acknowledgments

Recommended reading.

Here are some of useful resources and texts that you can consult. Your school may also have a postgraduate handbook or specific guidelines on thesis proposals.

Allen, G.R. (1976) The graduate student's guide to theses and dissertations: A practical manual for writing and research . San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass.

Cryer, P. (1996) The research student's guide to success . Buckingham, Open University Press.

Davis, G.B. & Parker, C.A. (1979) Writing the doctoral dissertation: A systematic approach . Woodbury, NY, Barrons Educational Series.

Laws, K. (1995) Preparing a Thesis or Dissertation Proposal. University of Sydney.

Phillips, E.M. & Pugh D.S. (1987) How to get a Ph. D.: A handbook for students and their supervisors. 2nd Ed. Buckingham, Open University Press.

Postgraduate Board, Student Guild (1998) Practical aspects of producing a thesis at the University of New South Wales. 3rd Ed. Available from the Student Guild, First Floor East Wing, Quadrangle Building, The University of New South Wales.

Karathwohl, D.R. (1988) How to prepare a research proposal. Guidelines for funding and dissertations in the social and behavioural sciences. 3rd Ed. New York, Syracuse University Press.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the following academics, staff and students, for their contributions and advice: Professor David Trimm, Professor John Trinder, Dr. Jacquelyn Cranney, Professor Staffan Kjelleberg, Dr. Tony Partridge, Professor Clive Fletcher, Professor Chris Sorrell, Professor Jason Middleton, Dr. Khosrow Zarrabi, Professor Marilyn Fox, Professor Michael Wootton, Dominic Fitzsimmons, Gwyn Jones, Bianca Azar.

Postgrad Research

• Academic skills support
• Structuring the proposal
• Literature review

Scholarly Resources 4 Students | scite.ai 21 May 2024

Discover your Library: Main Library 21 May 2024

Publication: Power System Digital Twins and Real-Time Simulations in Modern Grids

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Your Thesis

The goal of all higher degree research (HDR) programs is to write a thesis that demonstrates how you have made an original contribution to knowledge. While the task of writing a thesis can be daunting, there are several things you can do to stay on track and complete your thesis on time while producing your best work.  

The Graduate Research School (GRS) runs two seminars that will help you prepare for your thesis submission:

Thesis Submission Seminar   Outlines the submission and examination process

Using Publications in Your Thesis Seminar Examines how publications may be incorporated into your thesis, including how authorship is determined, and when to seek permission to use published work

The GRS also offers a weekly HDR writing group and a Thesis Writing Boot Camp to help you build a regular writing practice. For information on the seminars and events available, please visit this page .  

Can’t make it to a Seminar or event? Watch a recording of the last session and download a copy of the slides here . 

Additional Resources

UNSW Resources Thesis Submission and Examination Applying for Restricted Access   iThenticate  Thesis Format Guide Thesis Examination Procedure

Finding other HDR theses in your field UNSW digital thesis collection Trove – Australian print and digital theses ProQuest dissertations and theses global (UNSW sign in required for access) EThOS e-theses online service

Writing Your Thesis The Writing Center - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 10 Tips for writing a PhD thesis – Times Higher Education  How to write 10,000 words a day – The Thesis Whisperer

Thesis Plans Free Thesis Plan templates – iThinkwell Sample Thesis Plan - The University of Edinburgh

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The ChallENG Program

Humanitarian engineering thesis supervisors.

A/Prof. Martin Andersen

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Interested in water resources and quality (groundwater).

A/Prof. Jayashree Arcot

Chemical Engineering

Research interests include public health nutrition in the Pacific, in particular technologies that can be used to combat malnutrition in the Asia Pacific region through a general food system approach.

Dr. Anna Bruce

Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering

Sustainable energy access in developing countries or indigenous communities. Interdisciplinary projects may include electricity access planning, needs assessment, assessing cost/impact/appropriateness of technologies or new business models, including stand alone or renewable energy microgrids, efficient appliances/equipment, productive applications, energy efficient housing and policy and program design. Current research focus on sustainable energy transition in Pacific Island Countries.

Dr. Richard Corkish

Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering

Small-scale renewable energy applications in the Pacific, particularly Tanna Island and Vanuatu. Interests include solar photovoltaic or micro-hydro power for lighting, communications, water supply,  etc. ; solar thermal or geothermal energy for crop drying; and geothermal or solar photovoltaic energy for electric transport. Visit the  project website  for further information.

Dr. Andrew Dansie

Civil and Environmental Engineering /Chemical Engineering

I am interested in tackling the interconnected and multifaceted challenges of development. My experience is with transboundary management of freshwater and coastal resources, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and airborne transport of nutrients and pollution. I am interested in multidisciplinary development projects across the water, food, energy nexus and working alongside co-supervisors with complementary skills.

A/Prof. Rita Kay Henderson

Interests are in water supply and biotechnology and working towards Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for all. I am a strong equity and diversity advocate.

A/Prof. Fiona Johnson

I am interested in the impacts of extreme rainfalls, flooding and climate change on communities in the context of international development. I am also interested in working on projects around sustainable water infrastructure in the Global South.

A/Prof. Lauren Kark

Biomedical Engineering

I integrate a number of technologies to develop models of human movement that do not rely on rigid-body mechanics to inform medical device design and patient rehabilitation.

Prof. Stuart Khan

Interested in issues relating to drinking water and wastewater management.

A/Prof. Pierre Le Clech

We aim to develop and validate the use of appropriate technologies and associated tools (from risk assessment to decision making) for the treatment of safe water. The design and operation of membrane processes like ultrafiltration or low-pressure reverse osmosis can be successfully adapted for the humanitarian context.

Prof. Greg Leslie

I am interested in capacity building through delivery of water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training models and the prevention of chronic waterborne disease due to arsenic exposure via locally sourced dietary supplements.

Dr. Ang Liu

Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Research interests include innovative design thinking, design theory and methodology, intelligent manufacturing, technology-enhanced learning, and engineering education.

Dr. Divya J Nair

Humanitarian relief logistics specialises in providing long-term or short-term humanitarian assistance in the form of food, water, medicine, people, shelter and supplies to the areas affected by large-scale or small-scale emergencies or on a day-to-day basis to the vulnerable people in need.  Fighting Food Insecurity and Food Waste; and Disaster Resilient Cities.

Prof. Denis O'Carroll

I am interested in water quality in at risk communities.

Dr. Rob Patterson

I am interested in bioenergy (biogas, biodiesel, marine agriculture) using local natural resources. My research also includes water quality and desalination by PV-driven electrodialysis and bioremediation.

Badal Pokharel

Civil and Environmental Engineering

I try to understand geological, water-induced and climate-induced hazards, such as landslides, floods, bushfires and others, which are responsible for humanitarian crises. I apply geospatial techniques to assess these hazards and disasters. I am interested in conducting transdisciplinary research around disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) that could be helpful to concerned authorities, practitioners and stakeholders working in DRRM.

Dr. Simit Raval

Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering

Research topics could be shaped to provide technical assistance to Artisanal Mining in developing countries. For background info visit www.worldbank.org .

A/Prof. Jayashri Ravishankar

Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications

System analysis for large scale renewable integration, power system stability, system perspective for microgrids and smart grids in remote communities.

UNSW Thesis Template

UNSW Thesis Template 2020 based on: https://ctan.org/tex-archive/macros/latex/contrib/unswthesis

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Associate Professor Simit Raval

Fields of Research (FoR)

Associate Professor Simit Raval is Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mining Engineer and Co-Director of the Laboratory for Imaging of the Mine Environment (LIME), at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. He is specialised in the integration of sensing technologies to drive applied innovation in mining, environmental and civil engineering sectors. He leads a group of researchers focused on utilising data from sensors... view more

Associate Professor Simit Raval is Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mining Engineer and Co-Director of the Laboratory for Imaging of the Mine Environment (LIME), at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. He is specialised in the integration of sensing technologies to drive applied innovation in mining, environmental and civil engineering sectors. He leads a group of researchers focused on utilising data from sensors mounted on various platforms, from satellite through to UAVs, to visualise, identify and monitor operational environments. He has received several competitive research grants, including SIX nationally competitive ACARP grants as the project leader. He has supervised PhD research projects involving drone-based smart sensing (multispectral, hyperspectral and LiDAR), underground mobile laser scanning, image-based automated material characterisation, mine rehabilitation/closure, climate change and asteroid mining. He has received SIX teaching awards including UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2020) and the International Tim Show Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (2018).

I have received a total of more than $3 million competitive research funding that includes:

Category 1 (Federal government competitive grants)

Raval S  (2024). Methane Matters: Updates on Relevant Advances for Coal Mine Emissions.  Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP).   

Raval S  (Project Leader) , Banerjee B and Roddis D (2024). Assessment of sensors and airflow modelling for their suitability to quantify methane emissions in open cut mines.  Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP).   

Raval S (Project Leader)  and Banerjee B (2024). “SCANDY” - A handheld Imaging System for Real Time Spoil Categorisation.  Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP).  

• Raval S (2022) . Image-based automated characterisation of wast e materials - Extension. Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP).
• Khalili-Naghadeh N., … Raval S . (total 16 CIs) (2022). ARC Industry Transformation Research Hub for Resilient and Intelligent Infrastructure Systems (RIIS) in Urban, Resources and Energy Sectors.   
• Raval S (2020) . Automated structural mapping in underground mines using mobile laser scanning technology (Extension). Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP). 
• Raval S (2019) . Image-based automated characterisation of waste materials. Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP). 
• Fityus S, Simmons J, Thoeni K, Burton G and Raval S (2019). Baseline data for the development of automated characterisation of waste materials. Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP). 
• Raval S (Project Leader) and Canbulat I (2017). Automated structural mapping in underground mines using mobile laser scanning technology. Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP). 
• Raval S (Project Leader) , Shen X, Masoumi H and Tannant D (2016). Improved structural mapping of pit walls using UAV-based mobile laser scanning. Australian Coal Industry’s Research Program (ACARP).

Category 2, 3 (State, Industry, University and School level competitive grants and other grants)

• Raval S. (2023). Advanced underground laser scanning for safety and automation. Azure Mining Technology funded industry research project. 
• Raval S (Project Leader) , Tabelin C and Saydam S (2022). On-Belt Lithium Ore Characterisation: Choosing the right technology. Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) facilitated industry research. 
• Raval S (Project Leader) , Le-Hussain F, Zhang C, Li B (2022). Thermal infrared (TIR) and multi-spectral remote sensing. 
• Kara S... Raval S . (total 21 CIs) (2021). BHP Tailings Challenge Proof of Concept Stage.
• Raval S. (2019). Automated volumetric calculation of grain storage. Industry (ANZ bank) funding through Innovation Central Sydney.
• Raval S (Project Leader) and Rasekh (2019). Development of virtual reality based interactive sustainable mining practice module. MERE School Teaching Initiative Grant. 
• Hussain F, Clark S and Raval S (2019). Impact of CO2 sequestration on groundwater resources and vegetation. UNSW MERE Collaborative Research Grant.  
• Raval S (2017). Precision data integration tool for a friction free agronomic workflow. Tech Voucher Grant funded by Agronomeye Pty Ltd and NSW Department of Industries.
• Raval S (Project Leader) and Canbulat I (2016). Underground mobile laser scanner. UNSW School of Mining Research Grant.
• Raval S (Project Leader) , Sharifzadeh M and Kizil M (2017). Evaluation of mobile laser scanning for rapid rock mass characterisation in underground mining environment. MEA Collaborative Research grant.
• Cullen PJ, Raval S , Prescott S, Spicer P, Boyer C, S aydam S and Triantafilis J (2017). High Resolution Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Imaging. UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme.
• Raval S (Project Leader) , Chanda E, Unger C and Winchester S (2016). Review of the Socio Environmental Aspect of Mining Course. Mining Education Australia (MEA) . 
• Cullen PJ, Raval S and other 9 co-investigators (2015). Provision of non-thermal plasma technology and hyperspectral imaging. UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme.
• Raval S , Timms W and Taplin R (2014). A novel approach to monitor peat swamp conditions in the vicinity of underground mines using a combination of LiDAR, radar, and time-series optical satellite data. UNSW School of Mining Research Grant .
• Taplin R and Raval S ( 2014). Operationalising best practice in biodiversity offsets for coal mining in the Upper Hunter/Bowen Basin: A toolkit for industry. UNSW School of Mining Research Grant .  
•   Raval S and Taplin R ( 2013). Investigating the capabilities of hyperspectral remote sensing in detecting fugitive metals around the Yerranderie Silver Mine in the Blue Mountains National Park. UNSW Faculty of Engineering Early Career Researcher Grant . 
• Raval S ( 2013). Development of satellite imagery based most suitable vegetation index to monitor mine site rehabilitation. UNSW School of Mining Research Grant .  
• Taplin R and Raval S ( 2013). Assessing the effectiveness of biodiversity offsetting efforts to balance conservation and mining industry impacts. UNSW School of Mining Research Grant .  
• Raval S ( 2012). Investigating capabilities of an advanced Interferometry in detecting horizontal displacement at the Metropolitan Mine. UNSW School of Mining Research Grant . 
• Raval S ( 2011). Provision for spectroradiometer and image processing software. UNSW School of Mining Laboratory Equipment Grant .  

My Qualifications

• PhD Mining Engineering  ( 2008 – 2011) from the  University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
• Bachelor of Mining Engineering  (1991-1994) from the  Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, India
• "Environment Champion" – the title bestowed by the student society (MERESOC) (2022).
• UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2020).
• Postgraduate Coursework Teaching Excellence Award  (2020) by UNSW Engineering,
• The International Tim Show Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (2018) presented by the Society of Mining Professors (SOMP).
• Best Lecturer Award 2017 judged by the Mining Society (MINSOC) - A student-run society for Mining Engineering Undergraduates and Postgraduates at UNSW.
• School of Mining Engineering Teaching Award  (2015) judged by the peers.
• The Best Teacher Award (2013) judged by the IEEE conference committee for MOOC, Innovation and Technology in Education (MITE).        
• The Endeavour Postgraduate Award funded by the Australian Government (2008).  
• The inaugural Australian Centre for Sustainable Mining Practices (ACSMP) scholarship award (2010).
• Finalist for the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Research , a poster competition at UNSW (2010).        

My Research Activities

I have developed an interdisciplinary research approach that is capable of addressing wider issues of sustainable mining practices and innovation in mining.

I am currently engaged in the following TWO core research domains:

• Industrial Automation  
• Optimising LiDAR for specific application, both at hardware and software levels.
• Applying AI on point cloud for automated data analytics.
• Sensor fusion (multispectral, hyperspectral, LiDAR)
• Rapid characterisation of critical minerals (LIBS, PGNAA)
• Environmental Monitoring
• Quantification of Methane Emissions from Coal Mines and Landfills. 
• Quantification of environmental impact plus rehabilitation success through remote sensing
• Assessment of mining impacts on surrounding ecosystem (water, soil, air, flora, and fauna) through satellite, drone, handheld, ground-based sensors (multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, radar)
• Mine closure (completion criteria, GIS based data analytics)
• Environmental considerations of space resource extraction    

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords, areas of supervision.

• Low-cost, long-lifespan sensors for underground mines and tunnels as well as infrastructures  
• IoT sensing platforms
• Robotics and Autonomous Systems for Data Collection
• AI assisted automation in geotechnical analysis
• Visualisation and digital twin (Mixed Reality)
• Remote sensing-based monitoring of mine environmental impacts
• Quantitative and qualitative GIS based data analytics for mine rehabilitation

Currently supervising

• Charles Baylis (Topic: Optimising geotechnical data collection for underground metalliferous mines, Other supervisor: Ismet Canbulat)
• Dibyayan Patra (Topic: Mine Internet of Things, Other supervisors: Ismet Canbulat & Bikram Banerjee).
• Sureka Thiruchittampalam (Topic: Development of Advance Remote Sensing based Monitoring Protocols for Mining, Other supervisors: Nancy Glenn & Bikram Banerjee).
• Jiachao Ge (Topic: CO2 storage in saline aquifers, Other supervisors: Furqan Le-Hussain & Stuart Clark)
• Zain Rasheed (Topic: Effect of CO2 injectivity on CO2 sequestration and enhanced oil recovery, Other supervisors: Furqan Le-Hussain & Peter Nea l)

Graduated PhDs:

• Timothy Pelech (Topic: Off-Earth Mining, Other supervisors: Serkan Saydam, Lina Yao & Andrew Dempster). My role: Secondary Supervisor.
• Sarvesh Kumar Singh (Jan 2022 - Recipient of the Dean’s Award). Thesis Title: Optimising mobile laser scanning for underground mines. My role: Primary Supervisor.
• Jessica Dallas (Aug 2021 - Recipient of the Dean’s Award). Thesis Title: Environmental considerations of space resource extraction. My role: Joint Supervisor.
• Michael Dello-Iacovo (Nov 2020). Thesis Title: Off-Earth seismic: Viability and examination of use for measuring geophysical, geomechanical and structural properties of off-Earth bodies. My role: Secondary Supervisor.
• Bikram Pratap Banerjee (2018). Thesis Title: Development of UAV-based hyperspectral and LiDAR systems for environmental monitoring. My role: Primary Supervisor.

My Teaching

I am currently coordinating following 4 courses besides delivering specialised guest lectures to other 5 UG&PG courses.

• Socio-Environmental Aspects of Mining (MINE3910): 3rd year undergraduate core course.
• Environmental Management for the Mining Industry (MINE8780): Fully distance based postgraduate course.
• Surface Mining Systems (MINE3440): Project based 3rd year undergraduate elective course
• Mining Systems (MINE3430): 3rd year undergraduate core course.

Publications

• Journal articles 43
• Conference Papers 27
• Conference Posters 3
• Conference Presentations 24
• Conference Abstracts 3
• Theses / Dissertations 1
• Preprints 8

ORCID as entered in ROS

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Assessing school children’s exposure to air pollution in Solomon Islands

UNSW Humanitarian Engineering Research Grant

Humanitarian engineering research addresses school children’s exposure to air pollution in urban and peri-urban areas of Solomon Islands capital Honiara, - in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).

Humanitarian engineering research addresses chronic needs of poverty and lack of resources in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as acute needs associated with natural disasters and human displacement. Humanitarian Engineering is a part of every School in the UNSW Engineering Faculty, with real-world research being undertaken to develop appropriate and sustainable solutions to problems for disadvantaged communities.

UNSW Humanitarian Engineering  (HE) academic lead  Dr Andrew Dansie manages the UNSW HE competitive small grants program. “The program is designed” he says, “to provide some extra support for PhD researchers whose research aim is to foster local partnerships and improve the lives and livelihoods of those in need in low or middle-income countries and Australia.”

Jimmy Hilly was a recipient of a UNSW Humanitarian Engineering grant which supported his study of school children’s exposure to air pollution in the Solomon Island’s capital, Honiara.  Jimmy Hilly is a PhD candidate at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering who recently submitted his thesis on “Air quality and health risk in the Pacific, Focusing on Fiji and the Solomon Islands” under the supervision of Dr Andrew Dansie.  Hilly was also a recipient of the Australian Government’s Research Training Program Scholarship (RTP). His PhD project is part of a broader air quality monitoring program in the Pacific in partnership with Pacific governments and universities. 

Air Quality Monitoring

As part of Jimmy Hilly’s research, air quality monitoring stations have been installed in urban and peri-urban areas of Honiara, Solomon Islands and Suva, Fiji.  These stations have been measuring size fractions of airborne particles (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 4 , PM 10 , and Total Suspended Particles (TSP)) and weather variables (air temperature, humidity, rainfall, air pressure, wind speed and wind direction).

PM 2.5  are very small particles usually found in smoke. They have a diameter of 2.5 micrometres (0.0025 mm) or smaller. PM 2.5  particles are a common air pollutant. The particles are so small they can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream.  PM 10 is commonly found in dust and smoke, and is particulate matter of a diameter of 10 micrometres (0.01 mm) or smaller. Exposure to these particles can and do affect human health.

To date, the data from the air quality monitoring stations show that the concentration of PM 2.5 has exceeded the 2021 World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) of 15µg/m 3 for short-term exposure (24 hour) period, in three quarters of the days measured between 2019 and 2023. This is a health concern.  Note also that the WHO AQGs 2021 recommend annual mean concentrations of PM 2.5 do not exceed 5µg/m 3.  

Impact on Children

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 90% of the world’s children breathe air with pollution levels above the WHO guidelines resulting in an estimated annual 600,000 fatalities.  Air pollution causes over half of all child deaths from acute lower respiratory infection in children under 5 years in lower to middle income countries.

Children are especially vulnerable to the harmful impacts of air pollution due to their “windows of vulnerability” during the developmental stages of their organ systems including their immune system and lung function as they undergo critical development.

Children in the Solomon Islands are experiencing a high disease burden of lower respiratory infection (LRI) with an incidence of 774 cases per 1000 children under five years.  Almost half of all LRI cases in children can be attributed to household air pollution (HAP).

UNSW Humanitarian Engineering study

The study focusing on school children was part of Jimmy’s PhD research conducted in urban and peri-urban Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands (Figure 1), with the assistance of UNSW Honours Student Franco Robleto Prego .  Ethics approvals from both UNSW and the Solomon Islands were granted for this study.

While ambient (outdoor) air quality is an important factor to personal exposure, indoor air quality is equally important because this is where people spend a substantial amount of their time.  The aim of this study was to measure the personal exposure to PM 2.5 in microenvironments in both urban and peri urban settings in Honiara. 

Flow 2 personal air quality monitors were used on school children to measure the concentration of PM 2.5 and PM 10 over a period of 24 hours per student.  Household surveys were conducted to determine environmental health factors at home. 

Key findings of the research

While average concentrations of PM 2.5 were below the 2021 WHO AQG, the concentration peaked between 10:00 and 12:00 hours (at school) (4.84µg/m3 (urban), 6.32 µg/m3 (peri-urban)). and again at 14:00 hours (commuting home.) (6 µg/m3 (urban), 4 µg/m3 (peri-urban)).  The highest peak was in the evening between 17:00 and 19:00 hours (at home) (8.35 µg/m3 (urban), 8.91 µg/m3 (peri-urban)). 

In a typical week, students spend most of their time at home at an average of 14-16 hours per day followed by school at an average of 7 hours.  They spend the least times commuting to and from school and in other environments such as shops and recreation.  The highest exposure was at home where they spend most of their time, followed by the classroom.

Common activities at home contributing to poor air quality includes burning of waste, using firewood for cooking which usually occurs in the evenings.  Additionally, the use of mosquito coils impacts air quality, as well as proximity of homes to roads, and other commercial activities.

This data will be presented to the Solomon Islands government for action. 

Recommendations

Recommendations include but are not limited to:

• awareness of the issue locally targeting households to encourage behaviors to reduce exposure i.e. discourage open burning of waste and encourage use of energy efficient stoves;
• advocate for government services that improves waste management and support for innovation in technologies that supports energy and economic transition;
• schools to encourage students to wear face masks during commuting to and from home;
• schools to develop policies to control traffic during drop off and pick up times;
• government to develop policies that supports sustainable energy transition together with initiatives that addresses the socio-economic standing of local communities.