Lecturer in Biology, Flinders University
I completed my PhD in Molecular & Restoration Genetics at the Adelaide University in 2013. Since completing my PhD, I have been a postdoc at Uppsala University, an ARC DECRA Fellow, and an Adelaide University Vice Chancellor’s Beacon Fellow until my appointed as Lecturer in Biology (Ecology/Organismal Biology) at Flinders University in 2019.
I am a scholar of ecosystem health, restoration ecology, and genomics. I work to integrate genomics, health and wellbeing research into restoration ecology. I lead an integrated team under two initiatives: the Frontiers of Restoration Ecology (FORE) group and the Healthy Urban Microbiome Initiative (HUMI).
HUMI seeks to understand and recreate the immune-boosting power of high quality, biodiverse green spaces in our cities to maximise human health and bring significant savings to health budgets, while delivering gains for biodiversity. At the recent UN Biodiversity Conference in Egypt (COP14; November 2018), I signed an MOU with the Secretariat of the UN Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), agreeing to work in partnership with the CBD on the linkages between biodiversity and health via the microbiome pathway.
The FORE group is improving restoration success in a rapidly-changing world. Initiatives developed through FORE are created for the benefit of the natural world and societies alike – they are innovative, collaborative and are based on cutting-edge science. Examples include pioneering the value proposition of genomics to restoration ecology, redefining the study of gene flow and mating systems of plants in fragmented landscapes, and on how mixing local seeds with those from non-local origins can lead to improved restoration outcomes under climate change.
Good vibrations: how listening to the sounds of soil helps us monitor and restore forest health
May 23, 2023 15:04 pm UTC| Nature
Nurturing a forest ecosystem back to life after its been logged is not always easy. It can take a lot of hard work and careful monitoring to ensure biodiversity thrives again. But monitoring biodiversity can be costly,...
Drones and DNA tracking: we show how these high-tech tools are helping nature heal
Jun 29, 2022 14:08 pm UTC| Technology
Technology has undoubtedly contributed to global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Where forests once stood, artificial lights now illuminate vast urban jungles. Where animals once roamed, huge factories now...
A sustainable future begins at ground level
Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants
An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses