Group website and research interests
Positions held
February 2015-ongoing: Senior lecturer, Assoc. Professor, Deakin University
May 2012-February 2015: Centenary Fellow, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne (22 months FTE), June 2013-Feb 2014 Maternity leave
August 2008–April 2012: Marie Curie Fellow (24 months FTE), Imperial College London, March-Oct 2009, March-Oct 2011, Maternity leave
Oct 2007-July 2008: Research Associate, Imperial College London, with Prof. E.J. Milner-Gulland, Dr Julia Jones (Bangor University), and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Sept 2006-Sept 2007: Research Associate, Princeton University, with Prof. David Wilcove, The Nature Conservancy of Florida, and Florida Natural Areas Inventory
Education
2002-2006: PhD, The University of Queensland, with Prof. Hugh P. Possingham, Dr Bob Pressey and Dr Wayne A. Rochester.
1995-2002: BA/BSc (Hons) The University of Melbourne
Grants and awards (>$150,000)
2018-2021 *ARC Linkage grant, Planning for sustainable development and biodiversity on Indigenous lands. Nicholson, Murphy, Ayre, Elith, Guillera-Arroita, Andersen, Bryan, Kompas, Hadden, with the Tiwi Land Council (LP170100305)
2018-2021 ARC Linkage grant, Ecosystem risk assessment: new solutions to the global biodiversity crisis. Keith, Nicholson, Watson, Murray, Lester, Venn, Kingsford, Bland, Rodriguez, Auld, Regan, Grantham, Tozer. (LP170101143)
2018-2021 Ian Potter Foundation grant, Local SDGs: A general framework for charting pathways to sustainability to future-proof local communities. Bryan, Lester, Ritchie, Miller, Faggian, Nicholson, Nazari, Gunasekera, Neale, Hadjikakou, Malekapour.
2017-2019 *ARC Discovery grant, Biodiversity indicators for better conservation decisions. Nicholson, Collen, Fulton and Ferrier (DP170100609)
2016-2018 ARC Linkage Grant, Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. Macreadie, Nicholson, Ierodiaconou, Lovelock, Gillies, Howe, Ferns (LP160100242)
2016-2018 *Inspiring Women Fellowship, Linking risks to ecosystems with the benefits they provide, Victorian Government & Office of the Lead Scientist.
2016-2018 Mapping Ocean Wealth: Southern Seascapes, Partnership with the Nature Conservancy, Ierodiaconou, Macreadie, Nicholson.
2013-2016 ARC Linkage Grant, Red listing ecosystems – testing the new global standard for conservation. Keith, Kingsford, Nicholson, Regan, Lester, Auld, Rodiguez, Rogers, Pisanu, IUCN, NSW OEH, SA DEWNR (LP130100435).
2012-2014 *Centenary Research Fellowship, University of Melbourne, Theory for assessing the threat status of ecosystems
2008-2012 *Marie Curie Fellowship (International Incoming Fellow), Optimal monitoring of socio-economic and ecological systems for robust natural resource management
2008-2012 ESRC-CASE studentship grant for a PhD student (Andrea Wallace), Participatory monitoring of fishers’ spatial behaviour: estimating social costs in local conservation planning, with EJ Milner-Gulland, Julia PG Jones (Bangor University) and Richard Young (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust)
Services to the discipline:
- IUCN Red List of Ecosystems: Thematic co-lead, Member of the Steering Committee and Committee for Scientific Standards, Member of the IUCN CEM
- Handling Editor for Conservation Biology (2013-ongoing, 2012 Impact Factor 4.4)
- Associate Editor for Animal Conservation (2012-2013, 2012 Impact Factor 2.7)
- Regular reviewer for international journals, including: Ecology Letters, Conservation Biology, Journal of Applied Ecology, Ecological Applications, Biological Conservation, Conservation Letters, Ecological Modelling, Ecological Research, Animal Conservation
- Reviewer of Grant Applications for the ARC (2014), Leverhulme Trust UK (2012-2015), and ESPA (Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation, UK, 2013-2014).
- Assessment of PhD and MSc theses, and member of advisory committee for PhD students
Current Group (website):
Postdocs
Lucie Bland (2014-), postdoctoral research associate on ARC Linkage grant ‘Red listing ecosystems – testing the new global standard for conservation‘ (LP130100435), Qaeco, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne
Clare Duncan (2017-), postdoctoral research associate on ARC Linkage grant ‘Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration, Deakin University
Biao Huang (2017-), postdoctoral research associate on Mapping Ocean Wealth project, Deakin University
Nick Murray (2014-), postdoctoral research associate on ARC Linkage grant ‘Red listing ecosystems – testing the new global standard for conservation‘ (LP130100435), Centre for Ecosystem Sciences, UNSW.
Kate Watermeyer (2017-), postdoctoral research associate on ARC Discovery grant Biodiversity indicators for better conservation decisions.
Current students
Chris Hallam (2013-), PhD student, Qaeco, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne
Holger Janes (2016-), PhD student, Deakin
Matt Linn (2015-), PhD, Red list of ecosystems, Deakin University
Jess Rowland, PhD student, Deakin University, co-supervised with Lucie Bland.
Gerry Ryan (2012-), PhD student, Evaluating conservation interventions, Qaeco, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne
Simone Stevenson (2017-), PhD student, Biodiversity indicators, Deakin.
Past students
Andrea Coombs Wallace (2008-2012), PhD, Participatory monitoring of fishers’ spatial behaviour: estimating social costs in local conservation planning, Imperial College London
Leanne Greenwood (2015-16), honours, Optimal monitoring at Wilson’s Prom, Deakin University
Hayley Geyle. (2015), honours, optimal monitoring of the brush tailed rabbit rat on the Tiwi Islands, Deakin University
Tess Pannell (2016-2017), Honours student, Deakin University
William La Marca (2014-2015), MSc, Conservation planning on the Tiwi Islands, Qaeco, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne
Brendan Costelloe (2010), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: The power of global biodiversity indicators to predict future policy outcomes (Distinction). Now working at the RSPB.
Kathryn Sullivan (2010), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: Global biodiversity indicators: scenario modelling for fisheries policy
Soizic Le Courtois (2010), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: Household choices in rice cultivation in a social-ecological system and impacts on productivity: lessons from Anororo, Lac Alaotra, Madagascar (Distinction)
Olena Tarasova (2009), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: Systematic conservation planning in Ukraine under uncertainty
Paul De Ornellas (2008), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: How uncertainty affects conservation planning: a Florida case study (Distinction). Now working in the Africa programme at the ZSL.
Jose J. Lahoz-Monfort (2008), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: Habitat suitability modelling for the Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis) (Distinction, Gerald Durrell Award for best thesis).
Gurutzeta Guillera-Arroita (2008), MSc in Conservation Science, Imperial College London: Occupancy and detectability of Hapalemur alaotrensis: recommendations for monitoring (Distinction).
