Marine science explores areas of oceanography, ecology, geology and more. It seeks to understand all aspects of the marine environment and how they interact with one another. At UNSW, honours projects in Marine Science research the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and the habitats of marine life. View our current projects and connect with an honours project supervisor to learn how you can get involved.

Investigating blue swimmer crab fisheries in Botany Bay & Lake Illawarra

This is part of a Fisheries R&D Corporation (FRDC) project investigating the portunid crab fisheries in NSW.

Supervisor: Prof. Iain Suthers

Temporal dynamics of coral microbiome following thermal stress

The project aims to determine the seasonal changes in the coral microbiome and the influence of thermal stress events on microbial community structure.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Tracy Ainsworth

Restoring oyster reefs to restore estuaries

Examine remnant oyster reefs in NSW to inform restoration strategies.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Paul Gribben

How do plant sediment-feedbacks influence marine plants?

Investigate how sediment microbes influence seagrass resistance to increasing temperatures and nutrient additions.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Paul Gribben

The evolution of colourful ornamentation in land-dwelling fishes

Uncover how the transition to land by fish (yes, fish!) has opened the door to the evolution of elaborate ornamentation for reproduction.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Terry Ord

In Bygone Dives

This Honours project will explore the use of photographs taken by recreational scuba divers as a potential data source for environmental monitoring and conservation in marine systems.

Supervisors: Christopher Roberts (PhD candidate), A/Prof Adriana Vergés and Prof Alistair Poore

Probiotics for the ocean

This project aims to investigate how bacteria can improve the growth, health and environmental adaptation of marine seaweeds (macroalgae).

Supervisor: A/Prof. Suhelen Egan

Understanding disease in seaweeds

We use observational and molecular methods to investigate the interplay between bacterial virulence and environmental factors, such as temperature, light and nutrients, and natural bacterial inhibitors to understand the development and impact of disease on seaweeds.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Suhelen Egan

Predicting bluebottles on Sydney beaches

Many Australians have had a painful bluebottle sting when swimming at the beach, yet little is known about the oceanographic conditions that bring bluebottles to our shores.

Supervisors: Prof Alistair Poore (BEES), Dr Amandine Schaeffer (School of Mathematics and Statistics), Dr Jaz Lawes (Surf Life Saving Australia)

How eco-engineering mitigate impacts on biodiversity

To investigate how eco-engineering interventions, such as Living Seawalls, can mitigate impacts on population of key species.

Supervisor(s): Mariana Mayer-Pinto

How eco-engineering affect species interactions?

To investigate how eco-engineering interventions, such as the Living Seawalls, can mitigate the biodiversity impacts of seawalls, through changes in species interactions.

Supervisor(s): Mariana Mayer-Pinto

Foreshore stabilisation and consequences to fish assemblages

This project will assess how different shoreline management interventions (i.e., cobblers, seawalls and none) influence the fish assemblages on nearby seagrass beds.

Supervisor: Dr Mariana Mayer-Pinto

Restoring an endangered seagrass species in NSW estuaries

This project leads the Posidonia australis restoration projects in Sydney and nearby locations. 

Supervisors: Prof Adriana Vergés, Erin McCosker