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  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... About UTS
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... Information on Faculties...
  4. arrow_forward_ios ... Faculty of Science
  5. arrow_forward_ios ... School of Life Sciences
  6. arrow_forward_ios ... About us
  7. arrow_forward_ios Structure of the school
  8. arrow_forward_ios Discipline of Environmental Sciences

Discipline of Environmental Sciences

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      • arrow_forward Discipline of Environmental Sciences
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Sugar glider sitting at the opening of a hole in the tree

Overview

We are a strong, collegial and internationally renowned team of environmental scientists in the School of Life Sciences in the Faculty of Science at UTS. Through scientific innovation and sustainable industry engagement, our research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13, which seeks to combat climate change and its impacts and Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

The research in the Environmental Sciences Discipline Group spans the flora and fauna of both terrestrial and aquatic realms,  and explores how plants and animals interact with each other and their environments. It is our aim to make a substantial and enduring contribution to the future of environmental science and health of our planet through climate change mitigation, adaptation and impact reduction.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we foster a diverse and supportive student community for undergraduate and postgraduate studies, ensuring a strong, future workforce in environmental science.

Discipline leader

Brad Murray

Associate Professor Brad Murray


Ecologist whose research focuses on the conservation of native biodiversity under climate change, mitigating the impacts of wildfires at the wildland-urban interface and the management of invasive species.

Deputy Discipline Leader

Katherina Petrou

Associate Professor Katherina Petrou


Marine ecophysiologist coupling cell physiology, photobiology and biochemistry to investigate cellular processes and biochemical adaptations in algae in response to environmental change.

Academic Staff

David Booth

Professor David Booth


Internationally renowned marine biologist in the fields of reef-fish ecology, climate change and other anthropogenic impacts on fishes and fisheries in Australia (the Great Barrier Reef and along the NSW coast) and in the Caribbean and Hawaii.

Dr Yvonne Davila

Dr Yvonne Davila

Ecological scientist researching the ecology and conservation of plant-animal interactions, with an emphasis on the dynamics of plant-pollinator relationships and communities, pollination and plant reproductive biology, in response to environmental change.

Anne Griebel

Dr Anne Griebel


Environmental biologist linking plant physiology with landscape ecology to research impacts of disturbances and our warming climate on population dynamics, ecosystem services, greenhouse gas cycling and biodiversity.

Alfredo Huete

Professor Alfredo Huete


Distinguished Professor in Remote Sensing and Terrestrial Ecohydrology conducting interdisciplinary research on climate change impacts on ecosystem health and functioning, carbon and water cycling, and the resilience of drylands and urban areas. 

Andy Leigh

Associate Professor Andy Leigh


Plant ecologist and ecophysiologist with a research focus on how plants cope with environmental extremes and climate change, particularly temperature variation, across a range of scales and ecosystems.

Leigh Martin

Dr Leigh Martin

Scholarly Teaching Fellow in the School of Life Sciences, specialising in environmental sciences subjects, with research interests in invasive species, reptiles and amphibians, and urban heat mitigation.

 
Simon Mitrovic

Professor Simon Mitrovic


Applied aquatic ecologist whose research focuses on freshwater and estuarine ecology, toxic cyanobacterial and other algal blooms, environmental flow management, reservoir water quality management, microplastics and aquatic ecotoxicology within an overarching context of climate change.

 
Megan Murray

Dr Megan Murray


Environmental scientist specialising in tailored remediation strategies for degraded sites with research interests exploring emerging, sustainable-origin solutions for land and water pollution, including plant-based phytoremediation.

Shauna Murray

Professor Shauna Murray


Marine biologist researching the ecology and evolution of phytoplankton and biotoxins, using molecular genetic techniques, and developing novel genetic tools for the monitoring of marine water quality and their implementation across important aquaculture and fishing industries.

 

Fraser Torphy

Associate Professor Fraser Torpy


Environmental scientist with research interests in horticultural biotechnology, the contribution of plants to improved air quality in cities under climate change, and the range of ecosystem services provided by green wall technology and other forms of urban greening.

Jonathan Webb

Professor Jonathan Webb


Wildlife biologist with expertise in conservation biology, field sampling methods, and mark-recapture techniques, whose current research focuses on restoring habitats for hollow dependent animals and rock dwelling reptiles, and elucidating the impacts of wildfires on reptiles.

 
Sophie Wood

Dr Sophie Wood

A specialist in environmental risk assessment and Program Director for the Contaminated Sites Assessment, Remediation and Management (CSARM) short courses.

 

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

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15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

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