Professor Sophie Leterme
Matthew Flinders Professor
College of Science and Engineering
Sophie joined Flinders University as a postdoctoral researcher in 2006, to work on the ecology of the Coorong wetlands, focusing on the impact of environmental change on microbial and plankton communities. She became Senior Lecturer in 2008 and led several projects on the adaptation of plankton to salinity fluctuations, through an ARC Discovery Project and the Centre for Excellence in Desalination, Australia. She developped a research group that adresses issues related to biofilms and biofouling for industry applications and ecological restoration. Their research combine molecular-based and microscopy techniques to characterise the microbiological complexities of biofilms.
She had a joint position with the South Australian Research & Development Institute (SARDI) from 2009-2015 and was the deputy node leader of SA-IMOS (South Australian Node of IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System)), leading the biological program of SA-IMOS. Since 2016, she is a research leader at the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology.
Sophie has an extensive network of collaborators in Australia and overseas, working with academics, industry partners and government agencies on ecological and biofouling issues. In 2018, Sophie created the Biofilm Research & Innovation Consortium (FUBRIC) at Flinders University, and since 2022 is the Director of an ARC Industry Transformation Training Centre (ITTC) for Biofilm Research & Innovation. This Centre focuses on the training of PhD students and ECRs in biofilm research in a collaborative environment that actively involves industry partner organisations.
While most of her research currently focuses on biofilms, she also continues working with governmental agencies to tackle issues related to plankton ecology and microplastic pollution.
- Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from Flinders University (conferred in 2017).
- PhD in Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth, UK - Impact of climate and physical processes on phytoplankton dynamics
- Master in Biological Oceanography at l'Universite Pierre & Marie Curie - Paris VI, France - Spatial and temporal variability of particles between 1 and 1200µm in the North Atlantic Ocean (Cruises POMME)
- Honours in Marine Biology (First Class) at l'Universite des Sciences & Technologies de Lille I , France - Microscale variability of Phytoplankton biomass in a high-hydrodynamic coastal ecosystem
- BSc in Biology at l'Universite des Sciences & Technologies de Lille I, France - Long distance dispersal of the brown algae Turbinaria ornata (Fucale) invading Coral reefs of French Polynesia
Honours/Awards
Marine National Facility (MNF) - sea time on RV Investigator since 2019 - Microplastic in the food chain: impact on microbial and planktonic organisms
Visiting Professor (Universite de Toulon & USTL, France) 2018
ACSR-YSEP Fellowship (IOCAS Qingdao, China) 2014, 2015
Visiting Research Fellowship (Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology) 2007
FR3CE Visiting Scholar Fellowship (Flinders University) 2006-2007
Selected Recent Major Grants
- ARC ITTC Leterme et al., Industry Transformation Training Centre for Biofilm Research & Innovation (2023-2028)
- ARC Discovery, Project DP210101243 Andersson, Leterme et al., Conducting coatings for control and eradication of unwanted marine biofilms (2021-2023)
-
DEW (SA) Waycott, Leterme et al., Investigating the drivers and controls of filamentous algae and restoration of aquatic plants in the Coorong (2019-2022)
-
Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) Collaborative Research Fund, Andersson, Leterme et al., Develop and test active coatings to prevent the growth of unwanted organisms on marine surface (2019-2021)
-
Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) Research Award ALNGRA15036 Leterme (2014), ALNGRA14027 Leterme & Popelka-Filcoff (2013)
-
BP funded GAB Science Plan - Project Proposal2.1.Van Ruth, Leterme et al.(2013-2017)
-
Integrated Marine Observing System - Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme (IMOS–CRIS) Middleton, Leterme et al., ANMN–SAIMOS Mooring sub-facility, Shelf and slope moorings, field surveys and associated analyses to produce data streams (2013)
- ARC LEIF, Project LE130100115 Prideaux et al.(2012)
- National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA), Project08313 Leterme et al., Assessing the biofouling role of microbes in the desalination system; from the intake pipe to the reverse osmosis membranes (2011-2015)
- ARC Discovery, Project DP110101679 Leterme et al., Primary Producers; morphological flexibility under environmental constraints (2010-2013)
- NCEDA, Project07631 Leterme et al., Nanostructure of Diatoms: A predictive model for species sustainability (2010-2012)
Supervision of Honours, Master and postgraduate research students
Editorial Boards
- Scientific Reports – Nature
- Continental Shelf Research - Elsevier
Society Membership
- Australian Water Assciation (AWA)
- Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM)
- Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA)
- Membrane Society of Australasia (MSA)
Government Engagement
- Member of the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) steering committee 2008 - 2020
- Member of the Marine Innovation Southern Australia (MISA) advisory committee 2014 - 2018
- Oceanography
- Biofouling
- Plankton
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
Follow Flinders
