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Dr Mary Hanson

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Academic Coordinator (Science)

Staff Member Details
Email: m.hanson@ecu.edu.au
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6028-5691

Mary is the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Academic Coordinator for the science discipline.

Background

Dr Mary Hanson is experienced in molecular plant pathology, aerobiology and food security. She gained her PhD from the University of Warwick, UK in 2011 in Plant and Environmental Science and joined the University of Worcester as a post-doctoral researcher prior to becoming a lecturer in Molecular Biology. She also has several years’ experience coordinating work experience placements in biological and environmental sciences. Through her teaching experience, Mary has an interest in how experiential learning supports student development. Her research expertise includes plant pathology and aerobiology, particularly researching the effect of environmental factors on fungal and oomycete plant diseases and developing novel pathogen detection methods. Her latest research uses microbiome profiling and eDNA analysis to study the dynamics of microorganisms and bioaerosols in the environment and she is particularly interested in the agricultural ecosystems and future food security.

Research Areas and Interests

  • Microbiome analysis and environmental DNA (eDNA) studies
  • Microbiology
  • Palynology
  • Soil science
  • Food security
  • Crop pathogens in soils and the atmosphere
  • Interactions within agricultural microbiomes

Qualifications

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in High Ed, United Kingdom, 2017.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Pland and Environmental Sciences, United Kingdom, 2011.
  • Master of Science Food Safety, Hygiene and Management, United Kingdom, 2007.
  • Bachelor of Science Biological Science, United Kingdom, 2003.

Research Outputs

2024

Journal Articles

  • Apangu, GP., Frisk, CA., Petch, GM., Hanson, M., Skjøth, CA. (2024). Unmanaged grasslands are a reservoir of Alternaria and other important fungal species with differing emission patterns. Journal of Environmental Management, 370(2024), article number 122416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122416.
  • Hanson, M., Petch, G., Adams-Groom, B., Ottosen, T., Skjøth, CA. (2024). Storms facilitate airborne DNA from leaf fragments outside the main tree pollen season. Aerobiologia, 2024(Article in press), pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-024-09826-w.

2023

Journal Articles

  • Apangu, GP., Frisk, CA., Adams-Groom, B., Petch, GM., Hanson, M., Skjoth, CA. (2023). Using Qpcr And Microscopy To Assess The Impact Of Harvesting And Weather Conditions On The Relationship Between Alternaria Alternata And Alternaria Spp. Spores In Rural And Urban Atmospheres. International Journal of Biometeorology: the description, causes, and implications of climatic change, 67(6), 1077-1093. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-023-02480-w.
  • Frisk, CA., Apangu, GP., Petch, GM., Creer, S., Hanson, M., Adams-Groom, B., Skjoth, CA. (2023). Microscale Pollen Release And Dispersal Patterns In Flowering Grass Populations. Science of the Total Environment, 880(2023), article number 163345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163345.

Research Student Supervision

Current Supervisions

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Austropuccinia psidii in Western Australia: understanding its potential impact through epidemiology and host responses

Completed Supervisions

No data available
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