Aligning marine ecological and social assessment of community values at regional scales

About the research project

Marine systems are rapidly changing, making the accurate and timely capture of baseline conditions essential for informed management and resilient communities. Ecological monitoring and assessment programs are an important tool for managing and maintaining ecological values at local to regional scales. However, the social lens is frequently missing in these programs. Frameworks for monitoring and assessing social dimensions exist but could be augmented by emerging frameworks in ecosystem and social accounts for oceans. These frameworks aim to link changes in asset conditions to changes in the flow of benefits and thereby inform management responses at discrete spatial scales. Research is needed to empirically evaluate how emerging ocean accounting frameworks could systematically couple socio-cultural dimensions with ecological monitoring for integrated assessments.

Using available frameworks to include social dimensions in marine monitoring remains challenging: existing frameworks are not strongly linked to underlying conditions and extent of ecological assets in a given marine system in some cases (i.e., the wellbeing frameworks). Concurrently, the accessibility, suitability and salience of emerging frameworks such as ecosystem and social accounts for oceans, which do explicitly link social values to ecological values, have not yet been piloted in real systems in Australia and other temperate regions. These persistent challenges in monitoring and assessing social dimensions limits the supply of evidence to inform management and policy development for marine regions, and to support application of new market-based management instruments (e.g., nutrient removal and habitat repair credit schemes) which may generate considerable social co-benefits.

This project will use the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, near Hobart in south-east Tasmania, as case study to develop innovative approaches to combine and integrate social dimensions with baseline ecological monitoring. A core focus of this research will be on placed-based social values by re-visiting and augmenting previous research (e.g., Your Marine Values 2013). In so doing, the project will explore possible alignment of 'value' narratives and understandings with technical 'value' concepts used in technical assessment frameworks. This will be supported by community workshops and other social research methods as needed to capture and align with community values. Outcomes of the project will include robust and sound recommendations and theory development for conceptualising, monitoring and assessing socio-ecological and socio-cultural values for marine systems at discrete spatial scales, and propose a community marine values monitoring and assessment program which reflects local community place-based narratives while also being interoperable with existing and emerging technical frameworks.

Primary supervisor

Meet Associate Professor Emily Ogier

Funding

Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:

• a living allowance stipend funded by University of Tasmania of $34,315 per annum for 3.5 years
• a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
• a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)

A tuition fee offset may be offered to eligible international applicants following competitive assessment 

As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.

Additional Funding

The applicant will have access to existing:

• field trip and technical resources for ecological monitoring for the Pennicott Reef Health project, pending confirmation
• social assessment research tools already available in use for the SMRCA Human Dimensions assessment project

Other funding opportunities and fees

For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees for undertaking a research degree, please visit our Scholarships and fees on research degrees page.

Eligibility

Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.

Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.

Selection criteria

The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.

Additional essential selection criteria specific to this project:

• The applicant must have experience in social research methods and be able to undertake field trips to regional coastal community areas within south-east Tasmania.

Application process

1. Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
2. Contact Associate Professor Emily Ogier to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
3. In your application:
   • Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
   • Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
4. Apply prior to 1 October 2026.

Full details of the application process can be found under the ' How to apply ' section of the Research Degrees website.

Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.

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