Dr Brooke Williams

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.