Professor Mark Tjoelker appointed Director of the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

Western Sydney University is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Mark Tjoelker as Director of the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE).

An internationally recognised leader in climate change and sustainable ecosystems research, Professor Tjoelker has served as Interim Director of HIE since 2025.

Professor Tjoelker will lead HIE as it continues ground breaking research and education into the impacts and mitigation of environmental change.

“The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment is uniquely positioned to address the global challenges of food security, climate change, and sustainability through collaborative, discovery-driven research and innovation,” said Professor Tjoelker.

“I am committed to building on HIE's strengths as a world-class transdisciplinary research institute and a partner of choice for delivering impactful solutions to global environmental challenges.”

Professor Deborah Sweeney, Provost, welcomed Professor Tjoelker’s appointment.

“The outstanding research undertaken at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment addresses some of the most critical challenges of our time,” said Professor Sweeney.

“Recognised for his own significant contributions in addressing those challenges, Mark brings deep expertise in climate change and ecosystem science. We are delighted to appoint him to the role of Director of one of Western’s flagship research institutes.”

Professor Tjoelker’s research focuses on how forests, crops and urban green spaces respond to climate change, with a particular emphasis on nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation.

Prior to joining Western, he held academic roles at Texas A&M University and was a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Minnesota.

Based at Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury campus, HIE is recognised as one of the world's leading research institutes for terrestrial ecology and climate change science and is home to world-class research facilities, including the EucFACE experiment.

Professor Tjoelker commenced in the role on 1 August.

ENDS.

7 August 2026
Media Unit