Professor Susanne Schmidt
Professor

Susanne Schmidt

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 51050

Background

Susanne leads a vibrant team researching natural ecosystems and agroecosystems focussed on plants, microbes and soil. This aims to advance the circular nutrient economy, the restoration of degraded soils and landscapes, and the sustainable use of Australia's flora in research that is led by Indigenous experts and communities.

Funded PhD and MPhil positions are available in the (i) Bushfood project and the (ii) Next-generation fertilisers project and soil ameliorants project. Honours and Masters projects are available in all active projects. Please register your interest emailing Susanne.Schmidt@uq.edu.au

Active projects:

  • Climate smart agriculture: quantifying the benefits of cultural burning in QLD grazing lands (led by Firesticks Alliance, funded by the AustDAF)
  • A Deadly Solution: Traditional Knowledge and Western Science for an Indigenous-led Bushfood Industry (ARC Discovery-Indigenous)
  • Realising Smart Compost Formulations (End Food Waste CRC)
  • Next-generation fertilisers and soil ameliorants (ARC Industry Transformation Training Centre 'Transforming Biosolids')

Completed recent projects

  • Environmentally responsive bio-composite fertilisers
  • Ecofriendly fertilisers for sustainable farming
  • Effective microbial biostimulants in horticulture
  • New technologies and management: transforming nitrogen use efficiency in cane production
  • Recycled phosphorus from waste streams as efficient sources for agriculture
  • License to farm - nitrogen use efficiency in sugarcane production
  • Developing sugarcane-legume companion cropping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Spinifex desert grass - ecophysiology and nano-cellulose production for novel biomaterials
  • The role of soil microbes to restore soil carbon in tropical reforestation
  • Soil carbon sequestration in the Cooloola biosphere chronosequence
  • Advancing Livestock Waste as Low Emission-High Efficiency Fertilizers
  • Ecogenomic profiling of Queensland sugarcane soils

Availability

Professor Susanne Schmidt is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Agricultural systems analysis and modelling Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences Agriculture, land and farm management Biological Sciences Climate change impacts and adaptation Conservation and biodiversity Ecological physiology Ecology Environmental Sciences Forestry sciences Natural resource management Plant biology Soil sciences Tree nutrition and physiology

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework), Universität Hohenheim
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Quantifying the benefits of cultural burning in QLD grazed landscapes

    Cultural burning has been used by Australia's Indigenous people for millennia and is essential for safeguarding from inappropriate fire management that threatens the integrity of landscapes. Indigenous agency Firesticks Alliance (https://firesticks.org.au/) leads this project with aim to evaluate the re-introduction of Indigenous Cultural fire managment.

  • Deadly solutions: Towards the Indigenous-led bushfood industry

    Australia is the country with the second highest plant biodiversity and many plants have have been used for food, medicines and materials by Australia's First Nation people. Three Indigenous communities collaborate with scientists and business experts to explore native plants for bushfoods and horticulture.

  • Nutrient stewardship and the circular nutrient economy

    Plant nutrition, next-generation fertilisers, organic forms of nutrients, re-purposing waste streams, compost, biochar, biosolids, matching crop nutrient demand and nutrient release, risk of nutrient losses, sustainable agriculture, industry partnerships, organic and regenerative farming

Research impacts

We must restore and preserve Earth's function as it is the foundation for our existence. Agriculture and food systems currently have an enormous footprint: as soils degrade and generate greenhouse gases, agrichemicals pollute the environment, and biodiversity is impacted by land clearing. Transiting to a circ ular economy for a world without waste and pollutionand finding ways to protect and restore biodiversity are at the core of our reasearch. Our partners include Indigenous experts and communities, government and industry.

https://agriculture-food-sustainability.uq.edu.au/article/2023/10/%E2%80%98recycled%E2%80%99-phosphorus-fertiliser-could-sprout-greener-world

https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2022/09/power-of-compost-making-waste-climate-champion

https://study.uq.edu.au/stories/reducing-microplastics-fertiliser-pollution

https://agriculture-food-sustainability.uq.edu.au/article/2024/05/reducing-agricultural-pollution-environmentally-friendly-fertilisers

https://www.mla.com.au/news-and-events/industry-news/biocrusts-offer-natural-solution/

https://futurebeef.com.au/biocrusts-the-living-skin-of-rangeland-soils/

Search Professor Susanne Schmidt’s works on UQ eSpace

223 works between 1995 and 2025
All (223) Journal Article (174) Book Chapter (8) Conference Publication (37) Other Outputs (4)

221 - 223 of 223 works

1996

Conference Publication

Root adaptation and nitrogen source acquisition in natural ecosystems

Turnbull, M. H., Schmidt, S., Erskine, P. D., Richards, S. and Stewart, G. R. (1996). Root adaptation and nitrogen source acquisition in natural ecosystems. International Symposium on Dynamics of Physiological Processes in Woody Roots, Ithaca, NY, United States, 8-11 October 1995. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.

Root adaptation and nitrogen source acquisition in natural ecosystems

1995

Journal Article

15N natural abundance of vascular rainforest epiphytes: Implications for nitrogen source and acquisition

Stewart, G. R., Schmidt, S., Handley, L. L., Turnbull, M. H., Erskine, P. D. and Joly, C. A. (1995). 15N natural abundance of vascular rainforest epiphytes: Implications for nitrogen source and acquisition. Plant, Cell and Environment, 18 (1), 85-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.1995.tb00547.x

15N natural abundance of vascular rainforest epiphytes: Implications for nitrogen source and acquisition

1995

Journal Article

13C natural abundance in plant communities along a rainfall gradient: A biological integrator of water availability

Stewart, G. R., Turnbull, M. H., Schmidt, S. and Erskine, P. D. (1995). 13C natural abundance in plant communities along a rainfall gradient: A biological integrator of water availability. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 22 (1), 51-55. doi: 10.1071/PP9950051

13C natural abundance in plant communities along a rainfall gradient: A biological integrator of water availability

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    Biodegradable and bioderived coatings for controlled release fertilisers
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Quantitative Geophysics for Monitoring and Assessment of Mining Residue Structure
    Technological Resources Pty Limited
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Chemicals in compostable food contact paper packaging materials
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2026
    Realising Smart Compost Formulations
    Fight Food Waste CRC
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    A Deadly Solution: Towards an Indigenous-led Bush Food Industry
    ARC Discovery Indigenous
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource (ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre led by RMIT)
    Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 1
    Northern Territory of Australia
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 2
    Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 3
    Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
    Open grant
  • 2024
    Rain Ready Rangelands Research Agreement 4
    Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
    Open grant
  • 2022
    Advancing rapid in-field quantification of Soil Organic Carbon
    Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    From food waste to smart compost formulations (SCF)
    Fight Food Waste CRC
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2024
    Boosting natural regeneration of the nitrogen capital in grazing lands
    Meat & Livestock Australia
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    The Integrated Bio-economy Project and the Controlled Biosphere
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Micro-analysis and micro-manipulation equipment for next-generation fertiliser development
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    Ultrahigh-resolution remote sensing for assessing biodiversity hotspots (ARC Discovery Project administered by the University of Tasmania)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    (BriBo) Collaboration on Efficiency of recycled phosphorus as next-generation fertiliser
    Universities Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2023
    Enhancing livelihoods through forest and landscape restoration (ACIAR grant administered by University of the Sunshine Coast)
    University of the Sunshine Coast
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2021
    Environmentally responsive biocomposite fertilisers
    Queensland Government Advance Queensland Innovation Partnerships
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    More profit from Nitrogen - new technologies and managements: transforming nitrogen use efficiency in cane production
    Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Licence to farm: Nitrogen use efficient varieties to meet the future environmental targets
    Sugar Research Australia Limited
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Mineral controls on soil carbon stability along the subtropical giant podzol Cooloola chronosequence
    Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Regenerating a soil food web capable of improving soil health and reducing losses from soilborne pests and pathogens of sugarcane
    Biological Crop Protection Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Improved survey methods to reveal population shifts and inform conservation of the endangered bridled nailtail wallaby
    Everyone's Environment Grants
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Developing next-generation bio-fertilisers
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - Seed Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    Assessment of nitrification potentials of Biodunder formulations in combination with nitrification inhibitors.
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    Evaluating the Potential of Cyanobacterial-mediated Nitrogen Inputs into Sugarcane Systems Delivered with Biodunder
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Evaluating nitrated nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) from native spinifex grass as superior propellant materials.
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - Seed Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Optimised harvesting of spinifex
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - FirstLink
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Functional response of Triodia in the Australian arid zone
    Australian Flora Foundation Inc.
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2017
    Developing sugarcane-legume companion cropping systems
    Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Accelerated crop development and environmental compliance of agricultural and food systems
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    Advancing livestock waste as low emission - high efficiency fertilizers
    Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Profiling biodunder formulations as organic soil amendment for the sugarcane industry
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2014
    Ecogenomics of Queensland sugarcane soils
    Queensland Government Smart Futures Co-Investment Fund
    Open grant
  • 2012
    Evaluating soil carbon turnover along the Cooloola chronosequence with radiocarbon dating
    Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Aboriginal responses to climate change in arid zone Australia - Regional understandings and capacity building for adaptation
    Climate Change Adaptation Research Grants Program
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC), with MS detector, system for pharmacology, parasitological, microbiological and clinical research, plus PCR studies
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Spinifex as a sustainable bio-resource for the building industry - harvesting feasibility and resin benchmarking
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    Constructing a comparative reference collection of phytoliths from north Queensland vegetation
    The Hermon Slade Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2014
    SaveN cane: Developing selection tools for nitrogen efficient sugarcane
    Sugar Research & Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2012
    Biodiversity impacts and adaptation (Part of the CSIRO Flagship Collaboration Cluster - Regional adaptation to climate change - administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2011
    Towards sustainable bioproduction systems: harnessing organic nitrogen for plant growth
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2009
    Bigger, Better Bushfood: Improving the Commercial Potential of Australian Native Citrus (Finger Lime)
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Advanced environmental and process analysis facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2008
    Controlled Environment Facilities for the Challenges of the 21st Century
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2012
    Towards Novel Biomimetic Building Materials: Evaluating Aboriginal and Western Scientific Knowledge of Spinifex Grasses
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2010
    Accelerated breeding for a changing environment: genomic and physiological profiling of newly generated polyploid trees
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2010
    Creating Sustainable Sugarcane Production Systems: Reducing Plant Nitrogen Demand
    CRC for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    GREENHOUSE ACTION IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA -STRATEGIC R&D INVESTMENT PLAN: Soil microbial activity as a surrogate for N2O emissions in Australian agriculture
    Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
    Open grant
  • 2006
    Release from natural enemies below ground could explain why Lygodium microphyllum is such a successful invader in Florida
    Florida Atlantic University
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Lygodium Growth Study
    Florida Atlantic University
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Feasting on protein? Strategies of organic nitrogen acquisition by plant roots
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2006
    Novel Approach For Designing Complex Biological Systems: Optimising Tree Species Assemblages For Carbon Sequestration
    University of Queensland Research Development Grants Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC SCIENCE (AAS) GRANT: Identifying global change: stable isotope composition and cuticle characteristics of Antarctic plants
    Australian Antarctic Division
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2008
    Reducing nitrogen input - physiological and molecular approaches to improve nitrogen acquisition and utilisation efficiencies in sugarcane
    CRC for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2006
    Greenhouse gas emission from sugarcane and mangrove communities in coastal Queensland
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2003 - 2004
    The Functional Importance of Forest Biodiversity for Carbon Sequestration
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2002
    Can Hakea cluster roots take up peptides from the soil?
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2004
    Nitrogen characteristics of plant communities along the North Australian Tropical Transect (NATT)
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2000
    The physiological profile of rarity in plants of the Queensland wet tropics.
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 1997 - 2001
    Nitrogen studies in Subantarctic terrestrial environments
    Antarctic Science Advisory Committee
    Open grant
  • 1997 - 2002
    Regional sensitivity to climate change in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems (RISCC): the periantarctic region
    Antarctic Science Advisory Committee
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Susanne Schmidt is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Benefits of cultural burning in grazed QLD landscapes

    This project is led by Indigenous organisation Firesticks Alliance (https://firesticks.org.au/) supporting Indigenous communities in re-introducing cultural fire practices to prevent out-of-control wildfires and manage landscapes with Indigenous Biocultural Knowledge. Four cattle properties in SEQLD and NQLD are the focus using methods that span Indigenous Biocultural Knowledge and western science to quantify the benefits of cultural burning. Indigenous and non-Indigenous students are invited to apply for Honours, MSc, MPhil and PhD projects. Please reach out via email for further information.

  • A Deadly solution: towards the Indigenous-led bushfood and horticulture industry

    Our Indigenous co-led project "A Deadly Solution: Towards an Indigenous-led bush food industry" empowers Indigenous communities in Queensland to chose plants from their Country to develop an Indigenous-led bushfood industry. Advancing economic opportunities for Australia's Traditional Owners to achieve cultural, health and environmental benefits, this interdisciplinary project includes identifying bushfood plants, their propagation and selection of ecotypes with desirable traits, and producing plants including on degraded land spanning from from wild harvest to horticulture. The team includes Indigenous experts and non-indigenous staff across food and botany, social science and business. Student projects are available for all levels (undergraduate, Honours, postgraduate) and we encourage Indigenous and non-indigenous students to reach out for futher information (see also https://agriculture-food-sustainability.uq.edu.au/research/bushfoods).

  • War on Waste - fertilisers and soil amendments from organic wastes and recyclates

    We are developing next-generation fertilisers from waste, including compost and other recyclates. Among the many benefits is avoiding landfill, restoring soils and increasing farm profits. The project is supported by the Fight Food Waste CRC (https://fightfoodwastecrc.com.au/) and the organic waste recycling industry. Projects are available (lab, glasshouse, field, modelling) in collaboration with engineers, farmers and government in Australia and overseas. https://endfoodwaste.com.au/

  • Soil dermatology: formulating biocrust organisms to restore degraded soils

    Cattle grazing in Australia's savannas has to be sustainable. This project explores biocrusts, the living soil cover composed of biodiverse communities of microscopic organisms. Biocrusts fix carbon and nitrogen and are essential for maintaining soil fertility. This project will profile effective biocrust to develop methodologies to restore degraded landscapes. The project is part of a consortium of government and industry stakeholders. All levels of students are encouraged to apply. The research is in collaboration with industry partern Desert Channels (Longreach, QLD). More information and our biocrust movie: https://futurebeef.com.au/biocrusts-the-living-skin-of-rangeland-soils/.

  • Quantifying on-farm crop residues for 'Cool Farms

    This project is a collaboration with the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Reserach Center in which the student will quantiify on-farm waste from crop production. This information will be used for the 'Cool Farm Tool work aimed at understanding the CO2 impacts of different farming practices for our key crops. The student will assess what should or could be harvested with focus on pea, potato and maize crops. We expect to use the WWF on-farm loss (see link above) including guidance with FAQ, video tutorials, a field worksheet for the in-field measurement componen. It is in beta version (yet fully to be developed) for testing and WWF USA are supportive of a pilot here in Australia. Locations of the research include Tasmania and Bathurst.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Agronomic assessment of Smart Compost Formulations with legume and grain crops

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson, Dr Vijaya Singh

  • Master Philosophy

    Testing the suitability of biosolids derivates for carbon sequestration into soil and post-mining substrate

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Thierry Bore

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Towards responsible nitrogen use in Oceania

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Renuka Mahadevan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    On-ground management of soil nutrients by integrating proximal and remote sensing platforms in northern Australian savannas grazing lands

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Andries Potgieter, Dr Yan Zhao

  • Doctor Philosophy

    A Zero-waste Sustainable Extraction of Astaxanthin from Australian Microalgae Strain Haematococcus pluvialis to Improve the Antioxidant Capacity and Sun Protection Factor of Edible Cosmetics

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Optimising supply chain and composting techniques to reduce Australia's food waste problem

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Tyron Venn, Associate Professor Renuka Mahadevan

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Bushfoods and native plants of three Indigenous communities in Queensland: A cultural stewardship approach.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Marlize Bekker

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Wildly productive urban landscapes: Exploring the agency of public urban landscapes in creating healthy cities and community engagement

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jonathan Corcoran, Dr Liz Brogden, Dr Silvia Micheli

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Isolation and optimisation of phosphate-solubilising fungi for agricultural applications

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Esteban Marcellin, Dr Axa Gonzalez

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Costs and benefits of plant-microbe symbioses

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Mark Turner, Associate Professor Paul Dennis

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Effects of fire and grazing management on the diversity and potential function of biocrust microbiomes

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jiarui Sun, Associate Professor Paul Dennis

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Characterising Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Sugarcane

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Nicole Robinson

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Susanne Schmidt directly for media enquiries about:

  • bioeconomy
  • circular nutrient economy
  • climate change mitigation
  • compost
  • next-generation fertilisers
  • Plant nutrition
  • soil restoration and recarbonisation
  • sustainable farming

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For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au