Tapping into Non-English-Language Science in Tackling Global Environmental Challenges

This PhD project is a part of our translatE project, which aims to understand and overcome consequences of language barriers in science.

To date our work has revealed the critical importance of scientific evidence that is available only in languages other than English, in efforts to address the biodiversity crisis (see e.g., References 1 and 2 below). Our next step is to understand the importance of non-English-language science in different sub-disciplines within biodiversity conservation science, and in other disciplines related to global environmental challenges, and to explore effective ways of identifying important non-English-language science.

More specifically, the objectives of this PhD project are fourfold.

1. Understanding trends in non-English-language studies on different topics in biodiversity conservation: We will investigate how the number of non-English-language publications has changed over time in different sub-disciplines within conservation science.
2. Conducting a multilingual systematic literature review on nature-based solutions for climate adaptation: We will conduct a systematic multilingual literature search for scientific evidence on the effectiveness of nature-based solutions for climate adaptation.
3. Conducting a multilingual systematic literature review on the emergence of zoonotic diseases: We will conduct a systematic multilingual literature search for scientific evidence on the effects of environmental changes on the emergence of zoonotic diseases (animal-origin infectious diseases affecting humans).
4. Testing the validity of using machine translation in systematic literature searches: As a potentially effective way of accessing non-English-language science, we will test the validity of using machine translation in systematic literature searches.

As a whole, this PhD project will demonstrate the potential importance of non-English-language science in a wide range of environmental science disciplines, while providing a promising and valid way of making non-English-language science accessible to everyone around the world.

The student will belong to the School of the Environment and the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science (CBCS) at The University of Queensland, a globally-renowned hub of conservation scientists. The CBCS is a solution-oriented research centre, hosting 34 academics, 15 postdocs, and over 100 students in a wide range of disciplines related to biodiversity conservation and sustainability science. This interdisciplinary environment provides an excellent opportunity for the student to develop a range of skills, meet a diverse range of people from around the world working towards the same goal, and build their career in relevant disciplines.

The student will be a part of the translatE project, which has established an extensive network of over 150 collaborators around the world, and Kaizen Conservation Group, where the student can meet fellow HDR students (see each website for what we do). Our group also organises biweekly lab meetings with Prof. Richard Fuller’s group.

The PhD project will also be based on international collaboration with the University of Cambridge in the UK and Peking University in China, as well as some other world-leading researchers.