Luke Thomas

Luke Thomas is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia. His research focuses on coral reef resilience, molecular ecology, population genetics, and ecosystem adaptation. He holds a PhD in Molecular Ecology from The University of Western Australia (2016), an MSc in Population Genetics from Victoria University of Wellington (2012), and a BSc in Environmental Science (2009).

• Research expertise includes coral resilience mechanisms, genomics, and ecological adaptation.
• Key projects include studies on reef connectivity, symbiont dynamics, and environmental DNA applications in marine conservation.

His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life below water and climate action. Recent publications (2024) emphasize coral responses to heat stress, symbiont community dynamics, and atoll reef resilience. Awards include the Ecological Society of Australia Wiley Fundamental Ecology Award and Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment grants. He collaborates internationally on coral genetics and marine conservation initiatives.