Professor Stuart Phinn

Professor

School of the Environment
Faculty of Science
s.phinn@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56526

Overview

Prof Stuart Phinn’s research interests are in measuring and monitoring environmental changes using earth observation data and publishing/sharing ecosystem data.

He received his PhD from the University of California – Santa Barbara/San Diego State University in 1997.

Stuart is the Chair of the Committee that produced Australian Earth Observation Community Plan – 2026, he is also a professor of Geography at the University of Queensland where he teaches remote sensing and directs the Remote Sensing Research Centre, which includes programs to support government agencies across Australia( Joint Remote Sensing Research Program) and enabling coordination across all government, industry and research groups collecting and using EO data ( Earth Observation Australia).

He was the founding director of Australia’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and its Associate Science Director, 2009-2015.

The majority of his work uses images collected from satellite and aircraft, in combination with field measurements, to map and monitor the Earth’s environments and how they are changing over time. This work is done in collaboration with other environmental scientists, government environmental management agencies, NGO’s and private companies. A large part of this work also involves training the next generation of scientists and managers who effectively use remote sensing, and has graduated 54 PhD students.

A growing part of this work now focuses on national coordination of Earth observation activities and the collection, publishing and sharing of ecosystem data.

Research Interests

  • Monitoring environmental change using earth observation and field data
    The majority of my work focuses on the use of images collected from satellite and aircraft, in combination with field measurements, to map and monitor the earth's environments and how they are changing over time. This work is done in collaboration with other environmental scientists, government environmental management agencies, NGO's and private companies. A growing part of this work now focuses on national coordination of earth observation activities and the collection, publishing and sharing of ecosystem data.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, San Diego State University
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • Work wth us to help build Australia's capacity to design, build and launch earh-observing satellites that will support sustainable use of Australia's environments, and contribute to our industry and government activities, as well as contributing to international earth observation. The CRC is Australia's largest research-industry partnership 2020 - 2026 and the earth observation analytics program is based in our group at UQ. If you are interetsted in developong EO analytics for specific industries, designing next generation earth observation sensors and including on-board processing, or calibration-validation of EO data and products - please get in touch with us !

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Anstee, Janet, Roelfsema, Chris M., Kovacs, Eva and Phinn, Stuart R. (2022). Ecology. Earth observation: data, processing and applications. Volume 3B—surface waters. (pp. 395-425) edited by B.A. Harrison, J.M. Anstee, A.G. Dekker, E.A. King, D.A. Griffin, N. Mueller, S.R. Phinn, E. Kovacs and G. Byrne. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Australia and New Zealand CRC for Spatial Information.

  • Lyons, Mitch, Phinn, Stuart and Roelfsema, Chris (2019). Moreton Bay and catchment urban expansion and vegetation change. Moreton Bay Quandamooka and catchment: past, present and future. (pp. 181-186) edited by Ian R. Tibbetts, Peter C. Rothlisberg, David T. Neil, Tamara A. Homburg, David T. Brewer and Angela H. Arthington. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Moreton Bay Foundation.

  • Kendrick, Gary A., Hovey, Renae K., Lyons, Mitchell, Roelfsema, Chris, Montoya, Leonardo Ruiz and Phinn, Stuart (2018). Australian seagrass seascapes: present understanding and future research directions. Seagrasses of Australia: structure, ecology and conservation. (pp. 257-286) edited by Anthony W. D. Larkum, Gary A. Kendrick and Peter J. Ralph. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-71354-0_9

  • Phinn, Stuart, Roelfsema, Chris, Kovacs, Eva, Canto, Robert, Lyons, Mitch, Saunders, Megan and Maxwell, Paul (2018). Mapping, monitoring and modelling seagrass using remote sensing techniques. Seagrasses of Australia: structure, ecology and conservation. (pp. 445-487) edited by Anthony W. D. Larkum, Gary A. Kendrick and Peter J. Ralph. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-71354-0_15

  • Jupiter, Stacy, Roelfsema, Chris M. and Phinn, Stuart R. (2013). Science and management. Coral reef remote sensing: a guide for mapping, monitoring and management. (pp. 403-423) edited by James A. Goodman, Samuel J. Purkis and Stuart R. Phinn. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer - Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_15

  • Roelfsema, Christiaan M. and Phinn, Stuart R. (2013). Validation. Coral Reef Remote Sensing: A Guide for Multi-level Sensing Mapping and Assessment. (pp. 375-401) edited by James A. Goodman, Samuel J. Purkis and Stuart R. Phinn. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_14

  • Phinn, Stuart R., Hochberg. Eric M. and Roelfsema, Chris M. (2013). Visible and infrared overview. Coral reef remote sensing: a guide for mapping, monitoring and management. (pp. 3-28) edited by James A. Goodman, Samuel J. Purkis and Stuart R. Phinn. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer - Netherlands. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-9292-2_1

  • Pople, A. R., Grigg, G. C., Phinn, S. R., Menke, N., McAlpine, C. and Possingham, H. P. (2010). Reassessing the spatial and temporal dynamics of kangaroo populations. Macropods: The biology of kangaroos, wallabies and rat-kangaroos. (pp. 197-210) edited by Graeme Coulson and Mark Eldridge. Collingwood, Vic., Australia: CSIRO Publishing.

  • Phinn, Stuart, Roelfsema, Chris and Stumpf, Richard P. (2010). Remote sensing: Discerning the promise from the reality. Integrating and applying science: A handbook for effective coastal ecosystem assessment. (pp. 201-222) edited by B.J. Longstaff, T.J.B. Carruthers, W.C. Dennison, T.R. Lookingbill, J.M. Hawkey,, J.E. Thomas, E.C. Wicks, and J. Woerner. Cambridge, MA, U.S.A: IAN Press.

  • Phinn, Stuart, Ticehurst, Catherine, Held, Alex, Scarth, Peter, Nightingale , Joanne and Johansen, Kasper (2008). New tools for monitoring world heritage values. Living in a dynamic tropical forest landscape. (pp. 591-609) edited by Nigel E. Stork and Stephen M. Turton. Malden, MA, U.S.A.: Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1002/9781444300321.ch47

  • McAlpine, C. A., Phinn, S. R., Pople, A. R., Menke, N. and Price, B. (2007). Developing a dynamic landscape approach to the study of arid-zone wildlife: Challenges and opportunities. Animals of Arid Australia Out on Their Own?. (pp. 82-95) edited by Dickman, C., Lunney, D. and Burgin, S.. Mossman, NSW: Royal Zoological of New South Wales.

  • Phinn, S. R., Joyce, K. E., Scarth, P. F. and Roelfsema, C.M. (2005). The role of integrated information acquisition and management in the analysis of coastal ecosystem change. Remote Sensing of Coastal Aquatic Ecosystem Processes - Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing Series. (pp. 217-249) edited by L. Richardson and E. LeDrew. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. doi: 10.1007/1-4020-3968-9_10

  • Lucas, R.M., Held, A, Phinn, S. R. and Saatchi, S. (2004). Tropical Forests. Manual of Remote Sensing, Volume 4, Remote Sensing for Natural Resource Assessment. (pp. 239-315) edited by S. Ustin. Bethesda, Maryland, USA: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.

  • Franklin, J., Phinn, S. R., Woodcock, C.E. and Rogan, J. (2003). Rationale and conceptual framework for classification approaches to assess forest resources and properties. Methods and Applications for Remote Sensing of Forests: Concepts and Case Studies. (pp. 279-300) edited by M. Wulder and S. Franklin. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-0306-4_10

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • Work wth us to help build Australia's capacity to design, build and launch earh-observing satellites that will support sustainable use of Australia's environments, and contribute to our industry and government activities, as well as contributing to international earth observation. The CRC is Australia's largest research-industry partnership 2020 - 2026 and the earth observation analytics program is based in our group at UQ. If you are interetsted in developong EO analytics for specific industries, designing next generation earth observation sensors and including on-board processing, or calibration-validation of EO data and products - please get in touch with us !