Lillian Stewart to Undertake Remote Island PhD Project

Photo Credit: Silke Stuckenbrock

Adrift Lab alumni Lillian Stewart has become the latest recipient of a 2021 PhD scholarship with the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Her exciting research program will involve field work in the stunning and remote Cocos (Keeling) and Christmas Islands group, approximately 3000km NW of Perth, WA. 

"This is such exciting news! I'm incredibly grateful to have such a unique opportunity to work alongside leading researchers in the field of pollution science, and to make a difference in guiding waste management practices in remote areas."

Over the next four years, Lillian will undertake research to better understand the rate of debris accumulation on the islands. Importantly, she will also work closely with local councils and community groups on Cocos/Christmas, and UWA’s Oceans Institute, to identify solutions-based approaches to the issue of plastic pollution on remote islands. This will include assessing the specific types of polymers present on the beaches, as well as packaging from products used on the islands, using spectroscopy.