Past Researchers

After obtaining a PhD from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand in 2000, Alan migrated to the sunny shores of south Florida, USA, to work at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. During his 4 years at HBOI, Alan developed methods for culturing marine organisms to supply anticancer drugs, while enjoying numerous SCUBA and submersible operations in the tropical waters of the Bahamas. Missing the relaxed and easy-going culture synonymous with "downunder", Alan moved to Australia early 2004 to start work at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. His main research focus at AIMS is to develop methods for farming "bath sponges" for cosmetic, bathroom and industrial use. The global market for bath sponges is US$40 million, but demand far outstrips supply. Much of the sponge farming research involves developing low-technology methods suitable for coastal indigenous communities in Arnhem Land, the Palm Islands and in the Torres Strait.

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Alex submitted his thesis in June 2006, which is titled "A Study of the Offshore Petroleum Negotiations between Australia, the U.N. and East Timor". Between 2000 and 2005, the relations between Australia and East Timor were overshadowed by a dispute that stemmed from competing claims to vast reserves of offshore oil and gas. The focus of the research was on the political bargaining process itself, in terms of how the negotiations to resolve this dispute unfolded and the reasons behind the outcomes that were ultimately reached.

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Current Project: Pre European Aquaculture in Northern Australia

After completing an undergraduate degree and an MSc by research in aquaculture and marine ecology at the Northern Territory University (now Charles Darwin University), Graeme established the Darwin based consulting company Lo Tech Aquaculture Pty Ltd. He has been working for several years with Indigenous communities in Arnhemland, NT, and Eastern Indonesia to develop low technology aquaculture products and techniques suitable for remote areas.

In the course of this work Graeme has located a hitherto unrecorded and unexplained sub & inter-tidal stone structure near a remote community in Arnhemland. Local traditional owners have no actual knowledge of, or stories relating to this structure other than a notion that Macassan might have built it. This does not fit with our current knowledge of Macassan practices; however there may be a link to several references in East Arnhemland to unrecorded aquaculture techniques used by coastal clans before the arrival of Europeans. As these techniques have not been practised for many years, tribal elders have offered to pass on their knowledge in order to preserve it.

Drawing on his knowledge of aquaculture and under the guidance of Traditional Owners, Graeme will research, record and recreate traditional aquaculture systems. Concurrently, he will attempt to determine the age and original use of the stone structure and, by comparing its structure to traditional techniques, identify its builders.

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Current Project: PhD Thesis - Avoiding the resource curse: Challenges to sustaining development in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste (East Timor) is blessed with potentially large deposits of oil and natural gas and the revenue has begun to flow. Many developing countries with similar good fortune have failed to reap the benefits and fallen victim to a "resource curse". Avoiding the resource curse is of paramount concern to the decision-makers of Timor-Leste. The capacity of Timor-Leste's nascent institutions and answers to questions such as 'how much to spend' and 'how much to save' are crucial to ensure the benefits are available to future generations.

The proposed research will identify and explore the most crucial challenges for Timor-Leste in managing their natural resource wealth. One of the aims of the research is to develop a model of natural resource wealth management that addresses those challenges.

Visit my website: http://cres.anu.edu.au/~jenster

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Project title: Molecular Genetic studies of Common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)
Supervisor: Prof.Christopher M Austin

Summary of project
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is one of the most important cultured fish species, with world annual production over three million metric tons. The natural distribution of the species is generally thought to encompass Western Europe through Eurasia to China, Korea, Japan and South East Asia including Vietnam, and from Siberia to the Mediterranean and India. However, due to its popularity as an aquaculture and ornamental species, common carp has also been widely translocated, both within and outside its nature distribution. Domesticated strains and feral populations are now established in many countries including Australia and America.

The exploitation, management and conservation of carp genetic resources are complicated by the long history of domestication and the frequent often global translocation of carp stocks. There is also considerable debate concerning the origin of the major form of carp, their taxonomy and their contribution to aquaculture, especially in Asia. There have been number of genetic studies on common carp using a range of approaches, including both traditional selective breeding and molecular genetic procedures. The comparative value of these studies is however limited by the diversity of genetic approaches used, their usually narrow geographic focus, and often limited sampling.

As with many other countries, common carp is one of the most important culture species in Vietnam. It is the oldest cultivated fish species in this country, with the first records of domestication dating back at least a thousand years. Traditional selective breeding of common carp in Vietnam has a long history with a certain degree of success. However, there has been no application of modern molecular techniques to the quantification of genetic variation in Vietnamese common carp stocks. There are three major components to this study. First, genetic diversity of common carp stocks will be examined on a global scale using a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial nucleotide sequences. By using samples representing major strains obtained throughout the species geographical range a global genealogy of carp will be generated. A phylogenetic representation of nucleotide variation amongst populations of common carp will identify genetically distinct forms of potential value to aquaculture, and help establish relationships among strains and their possible origin. Secondly, this study will quantify genetic variation in Vietnamese carp populations in detail using samples collected from both the wild and hatcheries, to investigate the degree of strain mixing and identify possible inbred populations.

Lastly, genetic relationship between common carp and other major fish species in cyprinid family in Vietnam were examined by using sequence of mitochondrial DNA Cytochrome b, D-loop, and 16S rRNA gene regions.

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Current project:
Currently I am working on a pilot project in Rote and Kupang Bay of the Timor islands. This project aims to find alternative livelihoods for traditional fishers who access MOU 1974 Box and Australian waters at large. The first activity is assisting some 60 families of the sea-nomad Bajo and the Rotenese who have been fishing in Australian waters for a long time to cultivate sea-weed.

Research Interests
Social analyses; community-based management of coastal resources; issues of development

Latest research is on traditional fishers who access the MOU 1974 Box (together with Professor James J. Fox and Dr. Andrew McWilliam and the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the ANU)

Career Highlights
(2001-2003) Coordinator for palm sugar promotion in Rote, Indonesia working together with Texas A&M University, USA; (1998-1999); (1996-1998) Research coordinator for coral reefs in the Province of Nusa Tenggara Timur, under Indonesian Institute of Science/LIPI supervision; (1996); Social impact specialist for water and sanitation project in Flores, Indonesia under AusAID program; short-term consultant for drought relief program, the World Bank.

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