Luke Nothdurft

Dr. Luke Nothdurft is a Senior Lecturer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), based in the School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences. His research focuses on marine geoscience, particularly changes in shallow marine carbonate skeletons and sediment, with an emphasis on climate change impacts in tropical marine environments. He has 20 years of experience studying the Great Barrier Reef, including projects on Halimeda bioherms, fossil coral transformation into limestone, and coral substrate attachment mechanisms.

Dr. Nothdurft holds a PhD from QUT and has led multiple research initiatives, including roles as Chief Investigator and Science Committee Chair for the International Ocean Discovery Program. He also contributes to NASA’s Perseverance Rover mission as part of the Mars Science Team, focusing on PIXL instrument operations.

His research interests span carbonate sedimentology, reef studies, and paleoclimatology. Key areas include the interplay between environmental stressors and reef ecosystems, the role of geochemical and microscopic analysis in understanding reef dynamics, and the application of cutting-edge techniques like synchrotron imaging.

• Awards:
  • Member of the Science Committee, Australian and New Zealand Consortium International Ocean Discovery Program (2019).
  • Organiser of the Brisbane Workshop, Australasian Universities Geoscience Educators Network (2013).
• Grants & Projects:
  • Geomorphological development of coral reefs in the southern Great Barrier Reef (Australian Competitive Grant DP120101793).
  • Testing environmental stress on Holocene coral reefs in Moreton Bay (Australian Competitive Grant ALNGRA10024).

Dr. Nothdurft’s work bridges geological field studies with advanced laboratory techniques, offering insights into both modern and ancient reef systems. His contributions to space exploration through Mars mission collaborations highlight his interdisciplinary approach to Earth and planetary sciences.