Julia Howitt

Biography

Julia studied the electrochemical properties of ruthenium dyes for novel solar cells for her Honours degree and continued the interest in light/matter interactions through to her PhD research, which focused on the photochemical degradation of dissolved organic matter from freshwater systems and considered interactions with iron oxides and the impacts of these reactions on carbon cycling and bioavailability. The work was undertaken jointly with the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre (MDFRC) and Monash University, with the support of the CRC for Freshwater Ecology. Julia worked as an aquatic chemist with the MDFRC on projects including modelling low oxygen blackwater events associated with flooding in the Barmah-Millewa Forests, and water quality reviews for Lake Hume and Lake Mulwala before moving to Deakin University in Warrnambool as a lecturer in marine and freshwater chemistry. She collaborated on a number of projects considering nutrients, heavy metals and organic pollutants in riverine, wetland, estuarine and marine environments. Since joining CSU in 2008 Julia has combined research on a diverse range of topics with supervision of research students and undergraduate teaching. She has worked on environmental water use in the mid-Murrumbidgee and research on environmental water use and carbon cycling in the Edward-Wakool system has been ongoing since 2010. A range of other work on trace contaminants, wetland and soil biogeochemistry and food chemistry is being undertaken. Julia is also a member of the CSU chemical safety committee.

Research Interest

Cycling of trace metals in aquatic environments