Sharon Robinson researches how Antarctic plants respond to climate change. She uses radiocarbon signatures, left behind in the atmosphere by nuclear testing, to date mosses and track environmental change around the coast of Antarctica. Her group identifies the sunscreens plants make to protect themselves from elevated UV-B radiation due to ozone depletion. She is also applying new technologies, including the use of drones in Antarctica, to monitor plant health and productivity, and developing novel sensors that will help to track crop and forest health in future.
Sharon was educated in the UK. After completing her PhD at UCL in 1990, she held postdoctoral positions in the USA and Australia. She is currently a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Science Faculty for the Homeward Bound Women’s leadership Program expedition HB3 and HB5, and a former member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts. She first visited East Antarctica in 1996 and has been on 12 expeditions to continental Antarctic and sub- and maritime Antarctic islands with the Australian and Chilean Antarctic programs. She is a custodian for the only Antarctic State of the Environment Indicator concerned with Antarctic vegetation and is passionate about conserving Antarctic biodiversity.
In 2020, Sharon was named the Deputy Director of the Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, a Special Research Initiative for Excellence in Antarctic Science by the Australian Research Council. This year she has also stepped in to the role of Executive Director of the Global Challenges program and is currently Challenge Leader for the Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones within the program.
Year | Title |
---|---|
2020 - 2027 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Special Research Initiatives |
2019 - 2023 | Funding Scheme: Australian Antarctic Science Program |
2018 - 2019 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) |
2014 - 2017 | Funding Scheme: Australian Antarctic Science Program |
2011 - 2014 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects |
2012 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) |
2011 | Funding Scheme: National Weeds and Productivity Program |
2010 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2009 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Grant |
2009 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2009 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2008 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2007 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2007 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) |
2007 | Satellite imagery for change detection in the sub-antarctic using Heard Island as a proof of concept
Funding Scheme: Grant |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Fundraising Project | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: ANSTO Research Portal | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Australian Antarctic Science Program |
Degree | Research Title | Advisee | |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy | Understanding the Contribution of Dust to Ecosystem Fertilisation in the South Pacific and Southern Ocean | ||
Doctor of Philosophy | Microhabitat, microclimate and multi-stress response as drivers of urban biodiversity using moss as a model taxa | Haynes, Alison | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Remote Sensing of Mangroves and Their Biomass | Braga Salum De Abreu, Maria Rafaela | |
Doctor of Philosophy | A novel high-resolution model of moss-bed microclimate in maritime Antarctica: importance of understanding microclimate for understanding species distributions | Randall, Krystal | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Acclimation of Antarctic mosses to UV-B radiation under different light spectral compositions | Yin, Hao | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Understanding The High Tolerance to Environmental Stress of The Antarctic Moss Ceratodon Purpureus. | Wu, Yifan | |
Doctor of Philosophy | The Role of Fungal Endophytes In Alleviating Plant Stress Under Climate Change | Jones, Shae |
From 2016-18 I taught postgraduate subjects supporting the new Master of Research degree. In 2016 I developed and taught a new subject Responsible Research. In 2018 I developed 2 new subjects that enable students to develop skills in project planning and entrepreneurial activities.
From 1996-2016 I had responsibility for the bulk of the School of Biological Sciences plant science curriculum from cell biology to ecophysiology. I taught and coordinated subjects with high enrolments across a breadth of disciplines from introductory biology to specialist third year subjects (Biol103, Biol104, Biol105, Biol240, Biol332) and met this challenge successfully, obtaining above-average scores in teaching evaluations. I led the review and reorganisation of our first and second year Plant Science offerings and coordinated the inaugural Biol105 subject in 2010. This resulted in better retention into higher level offerings. I incorporated research into my undergraduate teaching, highlighting my own research and that of others. For example, I introduced topics on both Hot Plants and Climate Change into Biol105 and Biol104 respectively. I responded to student need for flexible delivery by producing high quality recorded lectures using Storyline, and adopting a flipped lecture mode at 3rd year, with face to face problem solving tutorials replacing on campus lectures.
Antarctica | Antarctic mosses |chlorophyll fluorescence | Climate Change Biology | Ecosystem modelling | Ozone depletion | Ozone hole | Photosynthesis | Plant Ecophysiology | Plant Biology | Plant Pigments | UV absorbing pigments | UV radiation
School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences
University of Wollongong
Wollongong
NSW 2522
2522
Australia
Sharon Robinson researches how Antarctic plants respond to climate change. She uses radiocarbon signatures, left behind in the atmosphere by nuclear testing, to date mosses and track environmental change around the coast of Antarctica. Her group identifies the sunscreens plants make to protect themselves from elevated UV-B radiation due to ozone depletion. She is also applying new technologies, including the use of drones in Antarctica, to monitor plant health and productivity, and developing novel sensors that will help to track crop and forest health in future.
Sharon was educated in the UK. After completing her PhD at UCL in 1990, she held postdoctoral positions in the USA and Australia. She is currently a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Environmental Effects Assessment Panel, Science Faculty for the Homeward Bound Women’s leadership Program expedition HB3 and HB5, and a former member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts. She first visited East Antarctica in 1996 and has been on 12 expeditions to continental Antarctic and sub- and maritime Antarctic islands with the Australian and Chilean Antarctic programs. She is a custodian for the only Antarctic State of the Environment Indicator concerned with Antarctic vegetation and is passionate about conserving Antarctic biodiversity.
In 2020, Sharon was named the Deputy Director of the Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, a Special Research Initiative for Excellence in Antarctic Science by the Australian Research Council. This year she has also stepped in to the role of Executive Director of the Global Challenges program and is currently Challenge Leader for the Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones within the program.
Year | Title |
---|---|
2020 - 2027 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Special Research Initiatives |
2019 - 2023 | Funding Scheme: Australian Antarctic Science Program |
2018 - 2019 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) |
2014 - 2017 | Funding Scheme: Australian Antarctic Science Program |
2011 - 2014 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects |
2012 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) |
2011 | Funding Scheme: National Weeds and Productivity Program |
2010 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2009 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Grant |
2009 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2009 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2008 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2007 | Funding Scheme: Grant |
2007 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Infrastructure Equipment & Facilities (LIEF) |
2007 | Satellite imagery for change detection in the sub-antarctic using Heard Island as a proof of concept
Funding Scheme: Grant |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Linkage Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Fundraising Project | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: ANSTO Research Portal | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Australian Antarctic Science Program |
Degree | Research Title | Advisee | |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy | Understanding the Contribution of Dust to Ecosystem Fertilisation in the South Pacific and Southern Ocean | ||
Doctor of Philosophy | Microhabitat, microclimate and multi-stress response as drivers of urban biodiversity using moss as a model taxa | Haynes, Alison | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Remote Sensing of Mangroves and Their Biomass | Braga Salum De Abreu, Maria Rafaela | |
Doctor of Philosophy | A novel high-resolution model of moss-bed microclimate in maritime Antarctica: importance of understanding microclimate for understanding species distributions | Randall, Krystal | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Acclimation of Antarctic mosses to UV-B radiation under different light spectral compositions | Yin, Hao | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Understanding The High Tolerance to Environmental Stress of The Antarctic Moss Ceratodon Purpureus. | Wu, Yifan | |
Doctor of Philosophy | The Role of Fungal Endophytes In Alleviating Plant Stress Under Climate Change | Jones, Shae |
From 2016-18 I taught postgraduate subjects supporting the new Master of Research degree. In 2016 I developed and taught a new subject Responsible Research. In 2018 I developed 2 new subjects that enable students to develop skills in project planning and entrepreneurial activities.
From 1996-2016 I had responsibility for the bulk of the School of Biological Sciences plant science curriculum from cell biology to ecophysiology. I taught and coordinated subjects with high enrolments across a breadth of disciplines from introductory biology to specialist third year subjects (Biol103, Biol104, Biol105, Biol240, Biol332) and met this challenge successfully, obtaining above-average scores in teaching evaluations. I led the review and reorganisation of our first and second year Plant Science offerings and coordinated the inaugural Biol105 subject in 2010. This resulted in better retention into higher level offerings. I incorporated research into my undergraduate teaching, highlighting my own research and that of others. For example, I introduced topics on both Hot Plants and Climate Change into Biol105 and Biol104 respectively. I responded to student need for flexible delivery by producing high quality recorded lectures using Storyline, and adopting a flipped lecture mode at 3rd year, with face to face problem solving tutorials replacing on campus lectures.
Antarctica | Antarctic mosses |chlorophyll fluorescence | Climate Change Biology | Ecosystem modelling | Ozone depletion | Ozone hole | Photosynthesis | Plant Ecophysiology | Plant Biology | Plant Pigments | UV absorbing pigments | UV radiation
School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences
University of Wollongong
Wollongong
NSW 2522
2522
Australia