Lizard Island Research Grants

  • Author(s)
    Dr Anne Hoggett
  • Updated
    25/11/24
  • Read time
    18 minutes

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Lizard Island Research Grants support important coral reef research. They are enabled through funding provided by donors to the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation.

The program has operated since 2012 and 30 grants have been awarded to date within several research themes. These have now merged into a single theme - critical research.

Critical research grants

Expressions of interest for the 2025 Critical Grant are now closed. Visit this page again after July 2025 for information about the following round.

Critical research grants support important and usually time-sensitive coral reef research projects. This theme has developed in response to severe, repeated impacts on coral reefs around the world, including at Lizard Island.

Critical research grants are offered irregularly depending on the funding available. A grant will only be awarded in any particular round if a proposal is considered sufficiently compelling and feasible. The assessment is made by a panel of Australian Museum scientists that includes members of the LIRRF Science Committee.

Applicants whose expressions of interest are selected for further consideration will be invited to submit a detailed research proposal.

Crown-of-Thorns Starfish research grants - closed theme

These grants were aimed at finding practical methods to reduce the impact of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) on their coral prey. They were supported by an Ian Potter Foundation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Grant to the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation. Twenty grants were awarded between 2015 and 2020. They resulted in valuable contributions to knowledge, including use of vinegar as a control agent, and SALAD surveys combined with eDNA as an effective monitoring tool. At least 27 peer-reviewed publications have appeared so far from this program.

Proposals for additional research in this important area will be considered under the critical research grants theme.

Plastic pollution research grants - closed theme

These grants provided funding for field-intensive research into the extent and effects of plastic pollution on coral reefs, conducted at Lizard Island Research Station and supported by the Rossi Foundation and the Banyer family. Three grants were awarded in this theme, from 2018 to 2020, producing three peer-reviewed scientific publications so far.

Proposals for additional research in this important area will be considered within the Critical Research Grants theme.

Honour roll

Lizard Island Grants
Year Name University Grant
2023 Morgan Pratchett James Cook University Critical
2022 Andrew Baird, Tom Bridge, Peter Cowman and Joshua Madin James Cook University, Museum of Tropical Queensland and University of Hawaii Manoa Critical
2021 No grants awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020 Joseph DiBattista Australian Museum Critical
2020 Daniela Ceccarelli Independent Critical
2020 Maria Dornelas and Joshua Madin University of St Andrews, UK, and University of Hawaii, USA Critical
2020 Frederieke Kroon and Mark Meekan Australian Institute of Marine Science Plastic pollution
2020 Morgan Pratchett, Jason Doyle and others ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2019 Dione Deaker and Prof Maria Byrne University of Sydney Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2019 Jason Doyle Australian Institute of Marine Science Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2019 Dr Vanessa Messmer ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starifsh
2019 Prof Morgan Pratchett and Dr Andrew Hoey ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2019 Jennifer Wilmes ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2018 Dr Bridie Allan Institute of Marine Science, Norway Plastic pollution
2018 Marina Santana James Cook University Plastic pollution
2018 Dr Fredereike Kroon Australian Institute of Marine Science Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2018 Prof Maria Byrne and Assoc Prof Jonathan Allen University of Sydney and College of William and Mary, USA Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2018 Prof Maria Byrne and Dr Karen Chan University of Sydney and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2017 Dr Sven Uthicke Australian Institute of Marine Science Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2017 Prof Morgan Pratchett ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starifsh
2017 Ciemon Caballes ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2016 Prof Morgan Pratchett ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2016 Prof Morgan Pratchett and Dr Vanessa Messmer ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2016 Dr Sven Uthicke Australian Institute of Marine Science Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2015 Lisa Bostrom-Einarsson James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2015 Prof Morgan Pratchett and Ciemon Caballes ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2015 Dr Vanessa Messmer and Prof Morgan Pratchett ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2015 Prof Maria Byrne and others University of Sydney Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2015 Zara-Louise Cowan ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
2013 Dr Timothy Clark and others Australian Institute of Marine Science Sustainable Fishing
2012 Dr Timothy Clark and others Australian Institute of Marine Science Sustainable Fishing