Research Fellows
The Institute's research fellows are early career researchers who are successful in their chosen scientific field, and are well regarded by their supervisors and colleagues.
Dr Samantha Andres is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is currently investigating the utility of drone-facilitated restoration strategies to restore biodiversity within the Ecosystem Function & Integration research theme.
Dr Sitaram Aryal is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is currently working as a postdoctoral research fellow in nematology. He is investigating to find new biocontrol measures to manage and control honeybee (Apis melifera) pests using entomopathogenic nematodes within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Fiona Backhouse is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is working with Professor Justin Welbergen and Dr Anastasia Dalziell on an ARC Discovery Project on avian vocal mimicry. This project will investigate the origin and maintenance of vocal mimicry with a focus on Australian endemic songbirds within the Plants, Animals and Interactions research theme.
Dr Travis Britton is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is currently part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, working with Distinguished Professor Ian Wright. He is currently researching adaptation to water and heat stress in Eucalyptus, as part of a larger project in the CoE within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Hannah Carle is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is working with A/Professor Paul Rymer to investigate the climate sensitivities and critical thresholds of species in the Cumberland Plains woodlands, as part of the Cumberland Plains Conservation Plan research program within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Doctor Manjunatha H Chandregowda is a Research Fellow in the institute. His current research involves understanding pasture species' responses to predicted changes in climate, such as seasonal variations in precipitation regimes and atmospheric warming within the Ecosystem Function & Integration research theme.
Dr Sachin Chavan is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is currently working on the project entitled ‘Research and operations to trial innovation glass and photovoltaic technologies in protected cropping’ with Distinguished Prof David Tissue within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Doctor Shubham Chhajed is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is currently studying how leaf and wood physiology and biomass allocation affect growth in woody angiosperms within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Jamil Chowdhury is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is investigating pine root microbiomes, specifically how their diversity is altered by different fertilizer and fungicide application practices in nurseries across Australia within the Soil Biology & Genomics research theme.
Dr James Clugston is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is a passionate conservation biologist with broad research interest in understanding molecular, morphological diversity and evolution of gymnosperms and angiosperms, with a focus towards species conservation of cycads (Cycadales) in the Ecosystem Function and Integration research theme.
Dr Suz Everingham is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is a a passionate ecologist with broad research interests in the impacts of global change drivers on plants and plant-consumer interactions within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Ayomide Fadiji is a Research Fellow at the Institute. He is currently involved in a multi-disciplinary project on soil biological mechanisms underpinning the effects of biological amendments on soil health, productivity, and resilience within the Soil Biology & Genomics research theme.
Dr Michael Franklin is a Research Fellow in the Institute. His current research is focused on the restoration, conservation and monitoring of species and threatened ecological communities in the Sydney Basin within the Soil Biology and Genomics research theme.
Dr Min Gao is a Research Fellow in the Institute. Min is currently engaged in studying the ecological drivers of plant pathogenic microorganisms under the climate change, while also participating in the exploration of soil microfauna distributions, under the supervision of distinguished Professor Brajesh Singh.
Dr Assaf Inbar is a Research Fellow in the Institute. His currently working with Professor Belinda Medlyn on her Laureate project aimed to develop a community Dynamic Vegetation Model for Australia within the Ecosystem Function & Integration research theme.
Dr Vin Jacob is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He is currently part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture, working with Distinguished Professor Ian Wright. His research is aimed at better understanding physiological adaptations to heat and water stress in target clades of Australian Andropogoneae grasses with a primary focus on water relations and gas exchange within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Alihan Katlav is a Research Fellow in the Institute. He currently is a member of a team led by Prof. Markus Riegler working on a Hort Innovation funded project entitled, 'Entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control agents of important honey bee pests in Australia' within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Jennifer Morrow is a Research Fellow within the Institute. She has a particular interest in pest insects and in applying molecular biology tools to understand their biology and ecology and ultimately improve pest management strategies.within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Tess McBride is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is researching the role of small secreted proteins in the host range of ectomycorrhizal fungi within the Soil Biology & Genomics research theme.
Dr Tadeo Saez Sandino is a Research Fellow in the Institute. His research aims to advance our understanding of biodiversity and the functioning of natural, agricultural, and urban ecosystems within the context of global change within the Soil Biology and Genomics research theme.
Dr Flossy Sperring is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is currently investigating the ecology and conservation of the threatened Christmas Island goshawk and hawk-owl within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Dr Clare Stephens is a Research Fellow within the Institute. Her current research involves working with Distinguished Professor Belinda Medlyn on her ARC Laureate Fellowship project ‘A unified dynamic vegetation model for Australia’ within the Ecosystem Function & Integration theme.
Dr Emma Sumner is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is working within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture. Emma is working with Distinguished Professor Ian Wright on adaptations to heat and water stress in Andropogoneae grasses within the Plants, Animals and Interactions theme.
Amil Wickramasinghe is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Fire Risk Modelling at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment. His research focuses on developing spatially explicit fire risk forecasting methods for the forest regions of southeast Australia, utilising a combination of machine learning and process-based models. His work is funded by the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (DP220100795) and supervised by Professor Matthias Boer within the Ecosystem Functions & Integration research theme.
Dr Laura Williams is a Research Fellow in the Institute. She is currently working with Distinguished Professor Belinda Medlyn on developing DAVE – a dynamic vegetation model for Australia within the Ecosystem Function & Integration research theme.
Dr Chao Xiong is a Research Fellow in the Institute. His research interests centre on soil and plant microbiomes, environmental pathogens, and plant-microbiome interactions within the Soil Biology and Genomics research theme.
Dr Kasia Ziemińska is plant ecologist and trained wood anatomist passionate about understanding how anatomical diversity drives tree functions and ecology.
