Career Summary
Biography
I am a conservation ecologist and have been researching ways to solve conservation problems since 2016. I am driven by my passion for finding solutions to complex ecological problems that balance human needs, and seeing them implemented on the ground. I completed my PhD in 2022 at the University of Queensland entitled “Assessing the state and planning for the conservation of intact ecosystems”. I then worked as a researcher at the University of Queensland, and then the Queensland University of Technology, before commencing my position as a Lecturer at the University of Newcastle in 2025. My current research focusses on improving outcomes of global conservation policies and environmental markets through the use of innovative cross disciplinary tools and assessments. I have a strong research background in ecological restoration, and my research currently focusses on improving forest-based carbon and biodiversity markets by combining my previously developed products with these tools and assessments. Much of my research in general has been carried out in collaboration with non-academic counter parts, which has led to rich network of conservation practitioners and land managers across multiple continents.
I welcome enquiries from potential HDR candidates (PhD, Masters) and Honours students. Please contact me to discuss potential projects. My vision for my research group is that it hosts and creates leaders in advancing science-based tools and frameworks that improve global conservation policy, ecological restoration, and environmental markets by bridging research and practice through deep collaboration with diverse partners - from local land managers to international policy makers.
Qualifications
- DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, University of Queensland
Keywords
- Conservation
- Conservation Planning
- Ecology
- Policy
- Restoration
Languages
- English (Mother)
- Portuguese (Working)
- Spanish (Working)
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 410401 | Conservation and biodiversity | 50 |
| 310308 | Terrestrial ecology | 25 |
| 410404 | Environmental management | 25 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
| Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|
| Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Science Australia |
Awards
Award
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
NASA-MSU Professional Enhancement Award which is supported by NASA and Michigan State University (MSU) Michigan State University |
| 2025 |
Early Career Researcher Excellence Award (CSSE - UON) College of Engineering, Science and Environment (CESE), University of Newcastle |
| 2024 |
Faculty of Science (QUT) Early or Mid-Career Researcher of the year award Queensland University of Technology |
| 2024 |
School of Biology and Environmental Science (QUT) Early Career Researcher of the year award Queensland University of Technology |
| 2024 |
Queensland Young Tall Poppy Science Award Life Sciences Queensland |
| 2023 |
Faculty of Science Award for Excellence (CBCS Management Committee - Team category, UQ) The University of Queensland |
| 2022 |
Women in Technology emerging achiever award Women in Technology |
| 2018 |
Global Change Scholars program, The University of Queensland The University of Queensland |
| 2016 |
Dean's Commendation for Academic Excellence The University of Queensland |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (34 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Williams BA, Metzger JP, Krieger JM, Rhodes JR, 'Integrate biodiversity and resilience into climate-driven forest restoration strategies for the Atlantic Forest', One Earth, 8 (2025)
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| 2025 |
Williams BA, Beyer HL, Fagan ME, Chazdon RL, Schmoeller M, Sprenkle-Hyppolite S, Griscom BW, Watson JEM, Tedesco AM, Gonzalez-Roglich M, Daldegan GA, Bodin B, Celentano D, Wilson SJ, Rhodes JR, Alexandre NS, Kim DH, Bastos D, Crouzeilles R, 'Correction to: Global potential for natural regeneration in deforested tropical regions (Nature, (2024), 636, 8041, (131-137), 10.1038/s41586-024-08106-4)', Nature, 637 (2025)
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Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2025 |
Cho FHT, Williams BA, Archibald CL, Brazill-Boast J, Drielsma MJ, Lunney D, Rhodes JR, 'Flexible Climate Adaptation Can Substantially Reduce Conservation Costs and Mitigate Risk', Conservation Letters, 18 (2025) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2025 |
Williams BA, Metzger JP, Cho F, Phelan A, López-Cubillos S, Bentley LK, Fu B, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Johnson J, Rhodes JR, 'Telecoupling cannot be ignored for the forest-based carbon market', Bioscience, 75, 61-67 (2025) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2025 |
Hayward MW, Williams B, McBain B, 'A population plunge could help to mitigate the global biodiversity crisis', Nature, 645 (2025)
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Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2025 |
Johnson JA, Chaplin-Kramer R, Chapman M, Polasky S, Williams B, 'Earth-Economy Modeling: Advances in Linking Economic and Ecosystem Models', Annual Review of Resource Economics, 17, 209-239 (2025) [C1]
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Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2024 |
Williams BA, López-Cubillos S, Ochoa-Quintero JM, Crouzeilles R, Villa-Piñeros M, Isaacs Cubides PJ, Schmoeller M, Marin W, Tedesco A, Bastos D, Suárez-Castro AF, Romero Jiménez LH, Broadbent EN, Almeyda Zambrano AM, Vincent JR, Yi Y, Chazdon RL, Watson JEM, Urbano EAN, Rodriguez CAC, Beyer HL, 'Bringing the forest back: Restoration priorities in Colombia', Diversity and Distributions, 30 (2024) [C1]
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Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2024 |
Thomas BH, Chung YF, Maron M, Rhodes JR, Simmonds JS, Ward MS, Williams BA, 'Achieving “nature positive” requires net gain legislation', Science, 386, 383-385 (2024) [C1]
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| 2024 |
Williams BA, Archibald CL, Brazill-Boast J, Drielsma MJ, Thapa R, Love J, Cho FHT, Lunney D, Fitzsimons JA, Iftekhar MS, Villarreal-Rosas J, Bekessy S, Hetherington SB, McAlpine CA, Beaumont LJ, Thonell J, Rhodes JR, 'Optimal investments in private land conservation depend more on landholder preferences than climate change', Environmental Research Letters, 19 (2024) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2024 |
Williams BA, Beyer HL, Fagan ME, Chazdon RL, Schmoeller M, Sprenkle-Hyppolite S, Griscom BW, Watson JEM, Tedesco AM, Gonzalez-Roglich M, Daldegan GA, Bodin B, Celentano D, Wilson SJ, Rhodes JR, Alexandre NS, Kim DH, Bastos D, Crouzeilles R, 'Global potential for natural regeneration in deforested tropical regions', Nature, 636, 131-137 (2024) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | ||||||
| 2023 |
Williams BA, Morgans C, Rhodes JR, 'Beyond protected areas for koala conservation', Science, 379 (2023)
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| 2023 |
Watson JEM, Ellis EC, Pillay R, Williams BA, Venter O, 'Mapping Industrial Influences on Earth’s Ecology', Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 48, 289-317 (2023) [C1]
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| 2022 |
Williams BA, Watson JEM, Beyer HL, Klein CJ, Montgomery J, Runting RK, Roberson LA, Halpern BS, Grantham HS, Kuempel CD, Frazier M, Venter O, Wenger A, 'Global rarity of intact coastal regions', Conservation Biology, 36 (2022) [C1]
|
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| 2022 |
López-Cubillos S, Runting RK, Suárez-Castro AF, Williams BA, Armenteras D, Manuel Ochoa-Quintero J, McDonald-Madden E, 'Spatial prioritization to achieve the triple bottom line in Payment for ecosystem services design', Ecosystem Services, 55 (2022) [C1]
|
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| 2022 |
Allan JR, Possingham HP, Atkinson SC, Waldron A, Di Marco M, Butchart SHM, Adams VM, Kissling WD, Worsdell T, Sandbrook C, Gibbon G, Kumar K, Mehta P, Maron M, Williams BA, Jones KR, Wintle BA, Reside AE, Watson JEM, 'The minimum land area requiring conservation attention to safeguard biodiversity', Science, 376, 1094-1101 (2022) [C1]
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| 2022 |
Williams BA, Grantham HS, Watson JEM, Shapiro AC, Plumptre AJ, Ayebare S, Goldman E, Tulloch AIT, 'Reconsidering priorities for forest conservation when considering the threats of mining and armed conflict', Ambio, 51, 2007-2024 (2022) [C1]
|
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| 2022 |
Elsen PR, Saxon EC, Simmons BA, Ward M, Williams BA, Grantham HS, Kark S, Levin N, Perez-Hammerle KV, Reside AE, Watson JEM, 'Accelerated shifts in terrestrial life zones under rapid climate change', Global Change Biology, 28, 918-935 (2022) [C1]
|
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| 2022 |
Pillay R, Watson JEM, Hansen AJ, Jantz PA, Aragon-Osejo J, Armenteras D, Atkinson SC, Burns P, Ervin J, Goetz SJ, González-del-Pliego P, Robinson NP, Supples C, Virnig ALS, Williams BA, Venter O, 'Humid tropical vertebrates are at lower risk of extinction and population decline in forests with higher structural integrity', Nature Ecology and Evolution, 6, 1840-1849 (2022) [C1]
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| 2022 |
Williams BA, Watson JEM, Beyer HL, Grantham HS, Simmonds JS, Alvarez SJ, Venter O, Strassburg BBN, Runting RK, 'Global drivers of change across tropical savannah ecosystems and insights into their management and conservation', Biological Conservation, 276 (2022) [C1]
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| 2021 |
Williams BA, Simmons BA, Ward M, Beher J, Dean AJ, Nou T, Kenyon TM, Davey M, Melton CB, Stewart-Sinclair PJ, Hammond NL, Massingham E, Klein CJ, 'The potential for applying “Nonviolent Communication” in conservation science', Conservation Science and Practice, 3 (2021) [C1]
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| 2021 |
Roberson LA, Beyer HL, O’Hara C, Watson JEM, Dunn DC, Halpern BS, Klein CJ, Frazier MR, Kuempel CD, Williams B, Grantham HS, Montgomery JC, Kark S, Runting RK, 'Multinational coordination required for conservation of over 90% of marine species', Global Change Biology, 27, 6206-6216 (2021) [C1]
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| 2021 |
Williams BA, Watson JEM, Butchart SHM, Ward M, Brooks TM, Butt N, Bolam FC, Stuart SN, Mair L, McGowan PJK, Gregory R, Hilton-Taylor C, Mallon D, Harrison I, Simmonds JS, 'A robust goal is needed for species in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework', Conservation Letters, 14 (2021) [C1]
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| 2021 |
de Andrade Junior MAU, Watson JEM, Williams BA, Allan JR, O'Bryan CJ, Maxwell SL, 'How to halve the carbon and biodiversity impacts of biofuel-driven land-use change in Brazil', Biological Conservation, 260 (2021) [C1]
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| 2020 |
Ward M, Saura S, Williams B, Ramírez-Delgado JP, Arafeh-Dalmau N, Allan JR, Venter O, Dubois G, Watson JEM, 'Just ten percent of the global terrestrial protected area network is structurally connected via intact land', Nature Communications, 11 (2020) [C1]
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| 2020 |
Williams BA, Venter O, Allan JR, Atkinson SC, Rehbein JA, Ward M, Di Marco M, Grantham HS, Ervin J, Goetz SJ, Hansen AJ, Jantz P, Pillay R, Rodríguez-Buriticá S, Supples C, Virnig ALS, Watson JEM, 'Change in Terrestrial Human Footprint Drives Continued Loss of Intact Ecosystems', One Earth, 3, 371-382 (2020) [C1]
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| 2020 |
Williams BA, Grantham HS, Watson JEM, Alvarez SJ, Simmonds JS, Rogéliz CA, Da Silva M, Forero-Medina G, Etter A, Nogales J, Walschburger T, Hyman G, Beyer HL, 'Minimising the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in an intact landscape under risk of rapid agricultural development', Environmental Research Letters, 15 (2020) [C1]
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| 2020 |
Ward M, Tulloch AIT, Radford JQ, Williams BA, Reside AE, Macdonald SL, Mayfield HJ, Maron M, Possingham HP, Vine SJ, O’Connor JL, Massingham EJ, Greenville AC, Woinarski JCZ, Garnett ST, Lintermans M, Scheele BC, Carwardine J, Nimmo DG, Lindenmayer DB, Kooyman RM, Simmonds JS, Sonter LJ, Watson JEM, 'Impact of 2019–2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat', Nature Ecology and Evolution, 4, 1321-1326 (2020) [C1]
|
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| 2019 |
Locke H, Ellis EC, Venter O, Schuster R, Ma K, Shen X, Woodley S, Kingston N, Bhola N, Strassburg BBN, Paulsch A, Williams B, Watson JEM, 'Three global conditions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use: An implementation framework', National Science Review, 6, 1080-1082 (2019)
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| 2018 |
Allek A, Assis AS, Eiras N, Amaral TP, Williams B, Butt N, Renwick AR, Bennett JR, Beyer HL, 'The threats endangering Australia's at-risk fauna', Biological Conservation, 222, 172-179 (2018) [C1]
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| 2018 |
Watson JEM, Evans T, Venter O, Williams B, Tulloch A, Stewart C, Thompson I, Ray JC, Murray K, Salazar A, McAlpine C, Potapov P, Walston J, Robinson JG, Painter M, Wilkie D, Filardi C, Laurance WF, Houghton RA, Maxwell S, Grantham H, Samper C, Wang S, Laestadius L, Runting RK, Silva-Chávez GA, Ervin J, Lindenmayer D, 'The exceptional value of intact forest ecosystems', Nature Ecology and Evolution, 2, 599-610 (2018) [C1]
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| 2018 |
McIntosh EJ, Chapman S, Kearney SG, Williams B, Althor G, Thorn JPR, Pressey RL, McKinnon MC, Grenyer R, 'Absence of evidence for the conservation outcomes of systematic conservation planning around the globe: A systematic map', Environmental Evidence, 7 (2018) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Williams BA, Shoo LP, Wilson KA, Beyer HL, 'Optimising the spatial planning of prescribed burns to achieve multiple objectives in a fire-dependent ecosystem', Journal of Applied Ecology, 54, 1699-1709 (2017) [C1]
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| Show 31 more journal articles | ||||||||
Preprint (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 |
Roberson L, O'Hara C, Watson J, Halpern B, Klein C, Dunn D, Frazier M, Beyer H, Keumpel C, Williams B, Grantham H, Montgomery J, Kark S, Runting R, 'Multinational Coordination Required for Conservation of Over 90% of Marine Species' (2020)
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Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 14 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $2,102,593 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20252 grants / $1,652,762
Informing management of feral cats and foxes in priority areas$1,630,817
Funding body: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
| Funding body | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Prof Matthew Hayward, Dr Darren Southwell, Dr Brooke Williams |
| Scheme | National Environmental Science Program |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2027 |
| GNo | G2500256 |
| Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
| Category | 1500 |
| UON | Y |
Ensuring environment-economy outcomes for Australia’s forest-based carbon market$21,945
Funding body: Queensland University of Technology
| Funding body | Queensland University of Technology |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Early Career Research Ideas Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20245 grants / $94,839
Towards functioning environmental markets for net zero and nature positive outcomes$44,836
Funding body: Queensland University of Technology Resilience Centre
| Funding body | Queensland University of Technology Resilience Centre |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Impact Accelerator |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Embedding nature-based outcomes and circularity principles into managed retreat$25,000
Funding body: Queensland University of Technology Resilience Centre
| Funding body | Queensland University of Technology Resilience Centre |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Inter-C funding |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Species survival on Quandamooka country – a community event$20,000
Funding body: National Science Week
| Funding body | National Science Week |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Inspiring Australia |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | External |
| Category | EXTE |
| UON | N |
Travel award$2,960
GLASSNET (Purdue University) travel support for a visit to the
University of Minnesota
Funding body: GLASSNET (Purdue University)
| Funding body | GLASSNET (Purdue University) |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Travel award |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | External |
| Category | EXTE |
| UON | N |
Grant writer$2,043
Funding body: Queensland University of Technology
| Funding body | Queensland University of Technology |
|---|---|
| Scheme | FoS Strategic Research Investment Fund (SRIF) |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20224 grants / $238,770
Understanding Drivers and Identifying Solutions to Koala Habitat Loss and Degradation$195,420
Funding body: NSW Department of Planning and Environment
| Funding body | NSW Department of Planning and Environment |
|---|---|
| Scheme | NSW Koala Research Plan |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | C1600 - Aust Competitive - StateTerritory Govt |
| Category | 1600 |
| UON | N |
Integrating global connections into solutions for environmental sustainability$32,500
Funding body: The University of Queensland
| Funding body | The University of Queensland |
|---|---|
| Scheme | UQ Global Strategy and Partnerships Seed Funding Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
International trade implications for ecosystem services and sustainability$7,850
Funding body: QUEX Institute
| Funding body | QUEX Institute |
|---|---|
| Scheme | QUEX Institute Workshop Grant Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Early Career Research Small Grants Scheme$3,000
Funding body: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland
| Funding body | School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Early Career Research Small Grants Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20191 grants / $2,550
Effective non-violent scientific communication workshop$2,550
CBCS funding to organize an “Effective non-violent scientific
communication” workshop
Funding body: Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science
| Funding body | Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science |
|---|---|
| Scheme | The University of Queensland |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2019 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Not Known |
| Category | UNKN |
| UON | N |
20171 grants / $112,672
The Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship$112,672
Funding body: Australian Government
| Funding body | Australian Government |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend Scholarship |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
20161 grants / $1,000
Research Scholarship$1,000
The Research Student Scholarship offered by the Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium (QFBC) supports Honours, Masters, or PhD students undertaking applied research in fire ecology or fire management within the South East Queensland bioregion. Valued between $1,000 and $3,000, the scholarship aims to enhance understanding of fire's role in biodiversity conservation and inform best practices in fire management. Applications are assessed on merit by a panel of QFBC partners. The scholarship is part of QFBC's commitment to fostering research that contributes to effective fire and biodiversity management strategies.
Funding body: South East Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium
| Funding body | South East Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Research Scholarship |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2016 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | N |
Dr Brooke Williams
Position
Lecturer
School of Science
College of Engineering, Science and Environment
Contact Details
| brooke.williams@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Links |
Twitter Personal Blogs Research Networks Google+ |
