John Morrison was originally trained as a chemist but since the late 1970s his research interests have focused on land and water science and management, particularly the land-ocean interface. These started with a physical/analytical chemistry approach but have extended into aspects of erosion, environmental physics, sedimentation, land-based pollutant sources, coastal zone/estuarine processes and management, as it is impossible to treat natural waters and soils/sediments, which are complex materials, in purely chemical terms. He has extensive experience in environmental issues in the Pacific Islands where he resided for almost 20 years.
R.J. Morrison, N.L. Harrison and P. Gangaiya, 1996. Organochlorines in the estuarine and coastal marine environment of the Fiji Islands. Environmental Pollution, 93, 159-167.
R.Naidu, R.J. Morrison, L. Janik and M. Asghar, 1997. Charge characteristics of basaltic soils from Western Samoa. Clay Minerals, 32, 545-556.
R.J. Morrison, 1999. The regional approach to management of marine pollution in the South Pacific. Ocean and Coastal Management, 42, 503-521.
C.D. Woodroffe and R.J. Morrison, 2001. Reef-island accretion and soil development on Makin, Kiribati, Central Pacific. Catena, 44, 245-261.
R.J. Morrison and P.L. Brown, 2003. Trace Metals in Fanga’uta Lagoon, Kingdom of Tonga. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46, 139-152.
J.S. Gawander, P. Gangaiya and R.J. Morrison, 2004. Potassium responses and budgets in the growth of sugarcane in Fiji. Sugar Cane International, 22, 3-8.
Qu Wenchuan, R.J. Morrison, R.J. West and Chenwei Su, 2006. Organic matter and benthic metabolism in Lake Illawarra, Australia. Continental Shelf Research, 26, 1756-1774.
GIS and response to oil spills (with Colin Woodroffe)
Peter Peshut
Mercury in pristine coastal ecosystems (with Ron West)
Aree Suwanmanee
Traditional environmental management in Thailand (with Greg Hampton and Nick Gill)
MEnvSc students
Peter Bloem
Atmospheric sulfur dioxide in the Wollongong/Port Kembla region
Curtis Gregory
Metal uptake by macroalgae
Andrew Thomas
Effectiveness of urban water retention/treatment pond systems
Lincoln Critchley
Assessment of the Budjong Creek constructed wetland
Teaching Activities
ENVI922
Scientific Basis of Environmental Management
ENVI923
Environmental Planning
ENVI491
Environmental Science & Systems
ENVI310
Water Resources Management
ENVI202
Soils, Landscapes & Hydrology
MARE200
Introduction to Oceanography
Suggested Topics for Future Students
Integrated Estuarine and Coastal Catchment Studies
Nutrient transformations and transport in estuaries
Modelling of nutrient budgets in estuaries, lagoons and coastal lakes
The impact of eutrophication on the growth of macrophytes in shallow estuarine lakes
The effect of stormwater outlets on adjacent shallow aquatic ecosystems
Ecology, chemistry and pollution studies on estuaries and coastal rivers, NSW
Catchment management planning for temperate and tropical river systems
Coastal Studies
Contamination of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW
Development of the minimum monitoring requirements for ports, coastal rivers and streams
Salinity
Effects of salinity on soil/sediment surface interactions in aquatic systems
Salinity effects on water and sediment analytical techniques
Soil Genesis and Management (with a particular interest in tropical systems)
Studies on the reuse of sewage sludges and effluents on land
Studies on sodic and saline soils, and soils derived from volcanic ash
Genesis and management of atoll soils
Waste Management Technology and Strategies
Waste management planning for small island developing countries
Maritime policy
A comparison of the marine environmental policies of SE Asia and Pacific countries with Australia - case studies of policy development, implementation and effectiveness.
Abbreviated CV
John Morrison is BHP Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Wollongong, where he has worked since the end of 1992. Prior to coming to Wollongong, he spent most of his working life in developing countries (2 years in Uganda, and almost 20 years in the South Pacific). From 1974-1992, he worked at the University of the South Pacific (1982-86 Director of the Institute of Natural Resources, 1985-92 Professor and Head of Chemistry). Originally trained as a chemist (PhD in Chemistry from Queens University, Belfast), his research and teaching interests have focused on land and water science and management, with an emphasis in the last 15 years on the land-ocean interface. From 1988-92 he was Scientific Coordinator of the SPREP POL project - Assessment and Control of Pollution in Coastal and Open Ocean Areas in the South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) Convention Area. He has a continuing involvement with regional marine pollution issues.
John has extensive experience of teaching physical, inorganic and analytical chemistry in undergraduate programs, soil science at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, together with many aspects of marine chemistry and geochemistry. Current teaching includes postgraduate courses in Environmental Planning and Environmental Management.
Since the late 1970s most of his research activities have been in the areas of natural water quality and soil science. These started with a physical/analytical chemistry approach but have extended into aspects of erosion, soil physics, soil classification, sedimentation, land-based pollutant sources and coastal zone/estuarine management as it is impossible to treat natural waters and soils, which are complex materials, in purely chemical terms. His recent research interests include:
1. Studies on Australian and Pacific Island lagoons and estuaries
2. Ion exchange properties and mineralogy of soils, nutrient availability
3. Water quality impacts on ecosystems and on human health
4. Analytical methods for estimating the pollutant concentrations in estuaries
5. Salinity impacts on ecosystems
6. Waste management in Australia and the Pacific Islands.
John has supervised the research work of 14 PhD (4 current), 13 MSc, 50 MEnvSc (4 current) and 48 Honours BEnvSc (1 current) graduates. He has obtained over $2 million in research grants and contracts and is in wide demand as a consultant working on a range of environmental management issues in the Pacific Islands and in South East Asia.
COUNTRIES WORKED IN
United Kingdom, Eire, United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Uganda, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Guam, China, Vietnam, Thailand. Also visited or carried out short consultancies in about 20 other countries in Africa, S.E. Asia, Europe, South America and the Pacific.
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