Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Deakin University
What is the problem you are trying to address?
Over 8 million tonnes of discarded plastic and microplastic end up in our oceans annually. Coastal wetlands, i.e. mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrass meadows, are significant sinks of plastic/microplastic; their position makes them ideal for trapping plastic/microplastic from land-runoff and capturing the ocean-based plastics hitting the shoreline.1
What is your research doing to solve this problem (often in this format?
Tanveer’s research aims to quantify the intensity and rate of plastic/microplastic accumulation and assess its impact on Australia’s coastal wetlands. This work will benefit Australia in helping decision-making about reducing plastic/microplastic emissions and conserving coastal wetlands.
Public outreach or science communication outputs.:
Tanveer leads a citizen science program on plastic waste management involving frequent outreach with people from local city councils, academia, and volunteer groups. He was interviewed by Radio Marinara (RRR) to discuss Australia’s plastic problem and Science News for Students magazine to deliver an expert opinion on plastic waste generation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He won a prestigious AGU 100 Centennial Award to promote awareness among the young scientific and professional communities on water conservation. He also delivered an invited talk at a public lecture on water quality management.
Environmental Science and Engineering