Adjunct Professor
Malcolm Cox

This person does not currently hold a position at QUT.
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.
Personal details
Keywords
3D visualisation geological systems, Hydrogeology, Groundwater chemistry, Environmental geochemistry, Stable isotope hydrology
Discipline
Other Earth Sciences, Geochemistry, Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (University of Auckland)
- MS (University of Hawaii)
- BA (Macquarie University)
Professional memberships and associations
- International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)
- Geological Society of Australia (GSA)
- Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia (PESA)
Teaching
Teaching areas:
- Groundwater Systems NQB614
- Honours and Graduate Diploma
- Master of Applied Science (SC80)
- PhD
Selected publications
- Cox M, James A, Hawke A, Raiber M, (2013) Groundwater Visualisation System (GVS): A software framework for integrated display and interrogation of conceptual hydrogeological models, data and time-series animation, Journal of Hydrology, 491 (1), pp. 56-72.
- Loehr S, Cox M, (2012) The influence of vegetation and soil type on the speciation of iron in soil water, European Journal of Soil Science, 63 (3), pp. 377-388.
- Locsey K, Preda M, Cox M, (2012) Water-rock interactions: An investigation of the relationships between mineralogy and groundwater composition and flow in a subtropical basalt aquifer, Aquatic Geochemistry, 18 (1), pp. 45-75.
- Larsen G, Cox M, (2011) Hydrochemical and isotopic characterisation of groundwaters to define aquifer type and connectivity in a subtropical coastal setting, Fraser Coast, Queensland, Environmental Earth Sciences, 64 (7), pp. 1885-1909.
- Cox M, James A, Raiber M, Taulis M, Hawke A, (2011) North Stradbroke Island 3D Hydrology: Groundwater systems overview, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 117, pp. 65-83.
- Hodgkinson J, Cox M, McLoughlin S, (2008) Coupling mineral analysis with conceptual groundwater flow modelling: The source and fate of iron, aluminium and manganese in a back-barrier island, Chemical Geology, 251 (1-4), pp. 77-98.
- McNeil V, Cox M, (2007) Defining the Climatic Signal in Stream Salinity Trends Using The Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation And Its Rate of Change, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11 (4), pp. 1295-1307.
- Hodgkinson J, Cox M, McLoughlin S, (2007) Groundwater Mixing In a Sand-Island Freshwater Lens: Density-Dependent Flow And Stratigraphic Controls, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 54 (7), pp. 927-946.
- Ezzy T, Cox M, O'Rourke A, Huftile G, (2006) Groundwater Flow Modelling Within a Coastal Alluvial Plain Setting Using a High-Resolution Hydrofacies Approach; Bells Creek Plain, Australia, Hydrogeology Journal, 14 (5), pp. 675-688.
- Mcneil V, Cox M, Preda M, (2005) Assessment of Chemical Water Types and their Spatial Variation Using Multi-Stage Cluster Analysis, Queensland, Australia, Journal of Hydrology, 310 (1 - 4), pp. 181-200.
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Malcolm, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Committee Role/Editor or Chair of an Academic Conference
- Reference year
- 2013
- Details
- Scientific Co-Chair of the IAH 2013 Congress (40th International Congress) held in Perth 16-20 September, 2013.
- Type
- Membership of Learned Societies
- Reference year
- 2014
- Details
- International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) 2009-2013: President of Queensland Branch and Member IAH National Committee 1995-1997: Member IAH National Committee & Editor IAH National Newsletter1994: President of Queensland Branch
- Type
- Committee Role/Editor or Chair of an Academic Conference
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Involved in planning for the 34th IGC2012 (International Geological Congress2012) in Brisbane, August, 2012, and Co-Convenor of the groundwater sessions (http://www.34igc.org/).
- Type
- Appointment to Prestigious Positions
- Reference year
- 2006
- Details
- In 2006 received the Neville Stevens Award from the Queensland Branch GSA for service to the geological community and government
Research projects
- Title
- National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training - QUT Component (NCGRT)
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- NCGRT
- Start year
- 2009
- Keywords
- Hydrology; Groundwater; Vegetation; Climate Interactions
- Title
- Cressbrook alluvial aquifer: hydrological processes and isotopic character
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- ALNGRA12106
- Start year
- 2012
- Keywords
- C-14 And Tritium; Queensland Catchment; Groundwater; Isotope Dating; Recharge
Supervision
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Hydrogeological framework, conceptual and numerical groundwater flow model of Laidley Creek catchment, Queensland, Australia (2013)
- A catchment modelling approach integrating surface and groundwater processes, land use and distribution of nutrients: Elimbah Creek, Southeast Queensland (2012)
- Determination of coastal ground and surface water processes and character by use of hydrochemistry and stable isotopes, Fraser Coast, Queensland (2012)
- Controls on iron in soils and soil waters of a forested, coastal catchment in subtropical Australia (2011)
- The Influence of Climate Variability on Hydrological Processes and Surface and Groundwater Hydrochemistry: the Tropical Upper Roper River Catchment, Northern Territory, Australia (2011)
- Impacts of Climate, Topography and Weathering Profile on Vadose Zone Hydrology and Coastal Pine Plantation Management - a Multi-scale Investigation, South East Queensland, Australia (2008)
- Sedimentary Evolution, Hydrogeology and Geochemistry of a Back-Barrier Sand Island: Toorbul, Southeast Queensland (2008)
- Groundwater Chemistry and Hydrological Processes within a Quaternary Coastal Plain: Pimpama, Southeast Queensland (2007)
- Integrated Approach to Characterisation of Coastal Plain Aquifers and Groundwater Flow Processes: Bells Creek Catchment, Southeast Queensland (2005)
- Hydrogeochemistry and Hydrology of a Basalt Aquifer System, the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland (2004)