Dr Leah Barclay is a core member of the Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre (ITRC) at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). She serves as Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Design (School of Business & Creative Industries).

Her work sits at the intersection of art, science and technology. For more than a decade, she has pioneered research in eco-acoustics, acoustic ecology, spatial audio, underwater soundscapes and environmental sound design, with a strong emphasis on conservation, community engagement, and climate-environment awareness.

Research Focus

Dr Barclay’s research explores how sound, particularly the often-invisible soundscapes of rivers, estuaries, reefs and rainforests can become a powerful medium for ecological awareness, environmental monitoring, community engagement, and climate action. She draws on hydrophone arrays, remote sensing and immersive sound design/installation to document aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, revealing biodiversity, ecosystem health and environmental change.

At UniSC she co-leads the Creative Ecologies Research Cluster, embedding ecoacoustic research, design thinking and environmental stewardship in teaching and community-engaged practice.

Key Research Impact

• Dr Barclay’s work has significantly advanced the field of ecoacoustics by combining rigorous ecological monitoring with creative sound design making previously inaudible aspects of ecological health accessible, experiential and emotionally resonant for broad audiences. Her projects like River Listening provide hydrophone-based recordings and sound maps that have been used for scientific, educational, and advocacy purposes.
• Through immersive installations and global broadcasts (e.g., her work featured at major venues and events including international exhibitions, festivals, and even climate conferences), she has brought ecological soundscapes to public attention shifting how people relate to rivers, reefs and environmental change.
• Her interdisciplinary model art + science + community supports environmental conservation, raises awareness of biodiversity and ecological fragility, and encourages climate-action engagement through sensory and emotional connection, not just data.

Recent Grants and Projects

• In 2025, Dr Barclay won a Queensland–Smithsonian Fellowship Program for her project “Sonic Ecologies: Connecting Bocas Del Toro and K’gari Research Stations”, receiving AUD $19,800 enabling collaboration and exchange between tropical marine/biosphere-reserve research stations.
• She leads the 2025-2026 project Marine Ecoacoustics: Exploring Ocean Soundscapes (funded by the Queensland Engaging Science Grant), which aims to document and share the underwater acoustic environments of Sunshine Coast marine ecosystems through hydrophone networks, community eco-acoustic masterclasses, immersive tours and an interactive online platform.
• She is also chief investigator on a 2025 pilot project with industry partner HAVENXR under the umbrella of immersive technology, exploring sensory engagement and embodied immersion in virtual/augmented reality - part of efforts to position the Sunshine Coast as a hub for ethical creative technology design.

Translation to Practice and Policy

Dr Barclay’s work bridges creative practice, environmental science and community engagement to:

• Offer non-invasive ecological monitoring tools (hydrophones, sound maps) that complement traditional biodiversity data useful in conservation, environmental management and climate-adaptation policy.
• Generate immersive, evocative experiences (sound installations, AR/VR, live-streaming) that reconnect people to ecosystems raising environmental awareness, promoting stewardship, and influencing public attitudes toward conservation.
• Enable educational pathways and interdisciplinary teaching at UniSC. Her role in Design and the Creative Ecologies Research Cluster helps embed sustainability, ecological consciousness and creative-tech fluency in student learning.
• Support transcultural and community-engaged research, especially by working with diverse communities (including Indigenous custodians, local waterways users, artists, scientists) to listen to and represent environmental and cultural soundscapes, aligning with ITRC’s aims of inclusion, cultural sensitivity and environmental justice.

Recognition and Significance

Dr Barclay’s research and creative practice have attracted global recognition: her sound-art works and environmental installations have been commissioned or exhibited by leading institutions.

Her ability to blend art, science and community to transform hidden ecological processes into accessible, evocative experiences exemplifies the ITRC’s vision of transcultural, interdisciplinary and socially impactful research. Her leadership in ecoacoustics helps deepen connections between people and place, fosters environmental empathy, and supports sustainable futures rooted in ecological awareness and cultural respect.