Adjunct Associate Professor
James Smith

Faculty of Science,
School of Biology & Environmental Science
Biography
Research theme: Food, Environment and SecurityResearch discipline: Biogeoscience
Research areas
Forestry practices and Fe biogeochemistry in a model E Australian coastal catchment
Using culture-based and molecular microbial ecological techniques, Dr Smith and his team are investigating biogeochemical controls over iron mobilisation and sequestration in groundwater and associated soils in relation to pine forestry plantation practices in a model coastal catchment.
Use of novel molecular ecological tools for isolation of new canegrub biocontrol agents
In a CRC-SIIB-funded project, Dr Smith is investigating the applicability of a number of rRNA-based molecular microbiological techniques (T-RPLP, D-HPLC, DGGE/TGGE, SSH) for identification of potential novel canegrub biocontrol agents, and occurrence of presumptive scarab pathogens in QLD canegrubs.
Generation and evaluation of biological internal standards
Evaluation of the stability and applicability of GFP-expressing bacterial-standard laboratory type-strains as internal standards in routine, standardised microbiological analysis of food and water using selective-differential media. Determination of variation in commercially-available selective media using precise certified microbiological reference materials (BTF Pty Ltd-Sydney).
Personal details
Positions
- Adjunct Associate Professor
Faculty of Science,
School of Biology & Environmental Science
Keywords
Antarctica - microbiology, Bioaerosols, Biofilms and biofouling, Bios, Environmental microbiology, Food microbiology, Microbial air quality measurement and analysis, Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry, Water/wastewater quality, monitoring and treatment
Discipline
Microbiology
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- Ph.d Microbiology (Montana State University)
Professional memberships and associations
- Australian Society for Microbiology
- Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health
Teaching
- Environmental microbiology (biogeochemistry)
- Food microbiology
- Microbial evolution and diversity
- Technical writing.
Areas of expertise
- Applied environmental microbiology
- Aerobiology and bioaerosols
- Microbial monitoring and regulation
- Water/wastewater microbiology and chemistry
- Antarctic microbiology.
Selected publications
QUT ePrints
For more publications by James, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).