The University of Newcastle - School of Environmental and Life Sciences

Our School is one of the largest in the University and has a diversity of science-based disciplines. The academic staff are all specialists in their fields and are committed to delivering the highest quality outcomes in research and teaching. We strive for excellence in our scholarship and the school provides a unique opportunity for science training via the rich multi-disciplinary profile of its staff and facilities.

About the School

A diverse range of specialisations in science

The School of Environmental and Life Sciences (SELS) is one of the largest schools in the University, and forms part of the Faculty of Science and Information Technology. Specialisations offered through the School include:

Training the scientific leaders of the future

This school generates enthusiasm for learning and research training that is unique because of the diverse and integrated specialities of the academics coupled with the availability of an impressive array of analytical equipment, laboratory facilities and field-research support resources. We work hard to ensure that the many undergraduate and postgraduate programs that we teach provide an enjoyable and rewarding learning experience for the students with a focus on preparation for future career pathways. We provide the academic basis for sound leadership training of future professionals.

Research Excellence

We have over 60 academic staff engaged in teaching and research spread across these five disciplines. The school is highly research-active with staff funded by Australian Research Council (ARC) and National Health & Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) grants as well as other specialised funding bodies. We have around 120 PhD and Masters research higher degree students in any one year, who work in a dynamic and exciting environment of research scholarship.

The research and laboratory facilities are excellent and there are opportunities to develop multi-disciplinary skills and build research networks via the nature of the diverse fields of expertise within the disciplines. Field work is a major component of many of the degree programs and many opportunities exist to develop these skills in areas of geology, geography, ecology and marine biology.

The school hosts major research Centres and supports the operation of a diverse array of research fields which are reflected by our Research groups.