A/Prof. Phillip Geary

Biography

I am an Associate Professor of Environmental Science in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at The University of Newcastle, Australia. I hold Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the University of Newcastle, a Diploma in Education and a PhD from the University of Western Sydney. I have taught Environmental Science at The University of Newcastle since 1990 and am currently Assistant Dean, International for the Faculty of Science & Information Technology. As well as University teaching, I undertake consulting assignments associated with wastewater, and have been involved in developing Short Courses dealing with small wastewater systems and land application of wastewaters.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Western Sydney, 2005
• Master of Science, University of Newcastle, 1979
• Diploma in Education, University of Newcastle, 1974
• Bachelor of Science, University of Newcastle, 1973

Research

Research keywords

• constructed wetlands
• contamination
• groundwater
• pollutant source tracking
• wastewater
• water quality

Research expertise

My research field deals with the environmental impacts associated with the treatment and disposal of domestic and agricultural wastewaters and the movement and fate of contaminants in soils and groundwaters. I have also been involved in research into the performance of small-scale treatment systems such as sand filters and constructed wetland systems and have undertaken research examining the cumulative impact of these systems to surface and groundwater quality in catchments and estuaries. I have undertaken work on a variety of microbiological and chemical contaminant source tracking techniques. The chemical techniques include the use of optical brighteners (fluorescent whitening agents), fluorescein, lithium and bromide as added tracers, as well as analysis of faecal sterols in environmental waters to distinguish between human and animal sources of contamination. Work has been undertaken in unsewered catchments with particular application to receiving water quality in surface and groundwaters, as well as estuaries which are used for aquaculture.

My research interests are summarised below:

• Environmental impacts associated with the on-site treatment and disposal of domestic and agricultural wastewaters, and stormwaters
• Movement and fate of contaminants in soils and groundwaters
• Performance of small-scale treatment systems such as sand filters and constructed wetland systems
• Effluent transport through vadose zone and tracer applications
• Microbial/pathogen source tracking in catchments

Collaboration

My research focus has been in examining the impacts to soil, groundwater and surface water from the application of human and agricultural wastes to land. In particular I have been involved in studying different types of treatment systems and the fate of contaminants from these waste sources using a range of hydrological, geochemical and microbial tracing techniques. I collaborate as part of a research team in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences and am currently convenor of the Environmental Water Science Research Group.

Fields of Research

Administrative

Administrative expertise

1990 Lecturer in Environmental Science, The University of Newcastle, NSW

1999 Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography and Environmental Science,

2006 Head of Discipline of Earth Sciences, School of Environmental and Life Sciences,

2008 Associate Professor in Environmental Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences

2011 Assistant Dean, International, Faculty of Science & Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, NSW

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• earth science
• environmental science
• hydrology
• soil science

Teaching expertise

I have been teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses at this University for 23 years. My teaching in environmental science reflects my interdisciplinary background and the courses I teach are enhanced by my practical experiences, my past research and professional practice.

In addition to my University teaching, I have developed, and regularly contribute to, a training course dealing with On-Site Domestic Wastewater Management. This course has been run many times throughout Australia and New Zealand and is widely recognised as an industry standard.

Courses

• ENVS2009 - Catchment & Water Resource Management
• ENVS3007 - Environmental Remediation
• ENVS3205 - Climate Change & Resource Management
• GEOS2070 - Climatology and Soils