Associate Professor Javier Leon is a geographer with broad interests in geomorphology and is particularly interested in the study and management of coastal systems including sandy beaches and coral reefs. He has developed and collaborated in multidisciplinary research projects combining field data, geospatial techniques and modelling in study sites across the Great Barrier Reef and Eastern coast of Australia and Pacific Islands including Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. His aim is to answer questions related to links between morphology, ecology and management in the current changing climate and sea-level rise context.
Professional Social Media
Potential research projects for HDR and Honours students
- Mapping sediment budgets
- Mapping vegetation and coastal ecosystems with drones/lidar
- 3D visualisation and environmental science
- Beach monitoring using coastal imaging systems and drones
- Image analysis with AI
- Coral reef islands under climate change
Research areas
- coastal geography
- coral reefs and islands
- remote sensing and GI science
- drones
Teaching areas
- Coastal geomorphology
- Hydrology and geomorphology
- Mapping with drones
Javier has a considerable track record of media commentary and community engagement. You can see some of his articles published in The Conversation here: https://theconversation.com/profiles/javier-leon-262182
In the news
Beloved beaches were washed offshore by Cyclone Alfred – but most of this sand will return
11 MarCyclone Alfred has caused significant beach damage in southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales, but fortunately, most of the sand is now offshore, and beaches will naturally recover.
Spring 2023: a chance to undo beach erosion
12 Sep 2023Drier El Nino conditions this spring may give South East Queensland beaches a chance to replenish after three years of wet weather damage, according to scientists recording the cycle with cutting-edge drone mapping techniques
Shining the spotlight on World Environment Day 2023
2 Jun 2023To celebrate World Environment Day on 5 June, we've gathered stories from the last year highlighting some of the environmental action and research happening at UniSC
New tech breaks ground in saving wetland
1 Apr 2023Five years of research led by the University of the Sunshine Coast using new remote sensing technology has measured the successful restoration of 200 hectares of abandoned sugar cane farmland back to thriving wetland