Adjunct Professor
Malcolm Cox

Biography

Research theme: Geoscience Research discipline: School of Earth, Environmental & Biological Sciences Research program: Earth, Water and Climate Systems Research area Malcolm Cox has over 30 years international research and professional experience in groundwater system research, notably conceptual hydrogeological models and hydrochemistry.  His experience covers much of the Pacific Basin and includes geothermal systems as well as water resources, groundwater and surface water interaction, coastal settings, and environmental geochemistry.  He leads a group integrating geoscience and software development to produce 3D visualisation models of hydrogeological systems and processes.  These studies involve  integrated models of 3-D grtoundwater systems, groundwater flow and recharge mechanisms, and incorporate  measurement of water levels, and hydrogeochemistry and stable isotopes to confirm processes such as source and mixing.  These approaches have also been applied to large sand islands (e.g. Bribie Island and North Stradbroke), various catchments, and regional sedimentary basins, including those with CSG rersources.  Cox has supervised many research students in hydrogeology, hydrochemistry and environmental geochemistry of coastal zones and catchments. This had several linked studies that consider sources and distribution of Fe (and other metals) within the catchment and regolith, and in surface and groundwaters, plus modelling of estuarine and coastal groundwater processes and potential to transport solutes to marine setting. Many projects have been completed in the Pumicestone Passage area, and other parts of Moreton bay for groundwater and geochemistry.  Examples are surface and groundwater modeling of Elimbah catchment, Toorbul Island, Beachmere and the Pimpama coastal catchment.  All areas of  peri-urban setting with variable landuse (rural, horticulture, plantation, new residential) and  integrate surface water and groundwater systems, relation to land use and impacts of climate variation. Areas of expertise:

• Hydrogeology
• Hydrogeochemistry
• Isotope hydrology
• Environmental geochemistry

Currents grants

• 2011 The Galilee Basin and GAB interface zone: hydrogeology, stratigraphy and hydrochemistry to characterise groundwater occurrence and flow. PhD Scholarship 2011-2013, M.Cox, J.Reeves, $105,000, Exoma Energy Ltd.
• 2010  Visualisation planning tool for Bribie Island groundwater system. M.Cox, J.Reeves, J.Young $157,000.  SEQWater Ltd
• 2009 Groundwater Visualisation Tools Project - Upper Condamine Region. M.Cox, J.Young. $48,000. TRaCK GU, Dept Environment & Resource Management.
• 2009 Howard East groundwater system: 3D visualisation model, NT. M.Cox, J.Young. $39,826. TRaCK, Griffith University, National Water Commission, NT-NRETAS and Power & Water Corporation.
• 2008  Environmental Geochemistry of Iron (Fe) in a Forested Coastal Catchment, Poona Creek, South East Queensland.  M. Cox, S.Loehr. $35,000. Forestry Plantations Queensland.                   
• 2007 A Catchment Modelling Approach Integrating Surface Groundwater Processes, Landuse & Distribution of Nitrogen: Elimbah Creek, South East Queensland. M. Cox, M.Labadz. $49,500. Forestry Plantation Queensland; Moreton Bay Regional Council; SEQCatchments.
• 2009 National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training - QUT Component (Program 1A: Characterisation of aquifers and aquitards). M. Cox. $558,567.  ARC Centre Excellence/NWC
• 2009 Implications of Using Purified Recycled Water as an Adjunct to Groundwater Resources for Irrigation in the Lockyer: visualisation model.  M. Cox.  $111,200.  Urban Water Security Research Alliance/CSIRO.
• 2008 Visualisation of Groundwater Systems to Support Management. Application to a Large Sand Island, North Stradbroke Island.  M.Cox, J. Young, A. James.  $49,020.  Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF).
• 2008 Tamborine Mt. Community-Based Groundwater / Surface Water Investigation. A.Todd, M.Cox, J.Young. $205,833. Australian Government, Caring for Country (via SEQCatchments)
• 2008 Upper Obi Obi Creek catchment groundwater visualisation, Maleny. M. Cox, J. Young, A. James. $25,000.  SEQCatchments; Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group.
• 2007 Managing Hazardous and Nuisance Algae Nutrients of Concern: Iron and Particulate and Dissolved Organic Carbon and Groundwater Layer for Hazard Maps/Model. M.Cox.  $110,000.  EPA-Dept Environment and Research Management.
• 2006–2007: Forestry Plantations Queensland (previously DPI Forestry) Soil Landscape Modelling Program in Exotic Plantations (M. Cox, A. Hammond) $40,000.

• 2006–2008: ARC Linkage Grant Environmental controls over Fe availability and transport in a forested coastal catchment (M. Cox, P. Grace, A. Hammond, J. Smith and K. Bubb) ARC funding is $253,000.      Industry Partner is FPQ, funding is $114,294.

Selected research projects

• 3D hydrogeological visualisation and animation CSG Cumulative Management Area (QWC)
• 3D hydrogeological visualisation Condamine Valley (DERM)
• 3D hydrogeological visualistion Surat Basin (Arrow)
• Hydrogeology and isotope hydrology Lockyer Valley
• Hydrogeochemical processes in coastal paleovalley Elimbah
• Groundwater flow model Quaternary sediments, Beachmere
• Evolution and age of coastal Quaternary infill, Beachmere
• Controls over distribution of Fe in coastal sediments, Poona.