CAPIM alumni wins Young Scientist Research Prize

CAPIM alumni Sarah McDonald recently won the Royal Society of Victoria Young Scientist Research Prize 2021 for her PhD research PhD research looking at the impact of pulsed stormwater runoff on Victorian aquatic organisms.

Sarah is a recently submitted PhD student at The University of Melbourne, RMIT University and Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). Her most recent project investigated the forms and dynamics of metal contaminants in urban stormwater runoff, with an aim of assessing the changes to labile metals in stormwater, and how this may impact resident aquatic organisms. Her previous work has focused on pulse metal toxicity with endemic Victorian invertebrates and fish using the live animal radiotracing approach at ANSTO.

Sarah joined CAPIM during her honours year in 2016, working on a research project to develop the use of a native fish (flathead gudegeon) as a bioindicator species for metal contaminants in Victorian waterways. She also worked on a casual basis with CAPIM as a laboratory technician and field assistant from 2016-2018.

Congratulations Sarah, from all of us at CAPIM.

View Sarah’s presentation to the Royal Society of Victoria Young Scientist Research Prize.