Nicholas Murray

Nicholas Murray is an Associate Professor at James Cook University, leading the Global Ecology Lab. He focuses on coastal ecosystem dynamics, remote sensing, and conservation science, with expertise in ecosystem risk assessment, migratory species, and geospatial datasets.

• Current Projects: ESA World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics, ARC Linkage grants, Australian Antarctic Science grant
• Editorial Roles: Associate Editor for Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation and Remote Sensing

Research Themes:
1. Coastal Ecosystems: Mapping tidal wetlands, mangroves, and coral reefs using satellite data.
2. Migratory Species: Quantifying habitat threats for shorebirds and turtles.
3. Ecosystem Risk Assessment: Developing standardized tools for IUCN Red List of Ecosystems.

Recent Articles demonstrate expertise in Blue Carbon, Satellite Validation, and Climate Resilience. Key journals include Nature Climate Change, Science Advances, and Austral Ecology.

Scientific Awards:

• 2015 Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
• 2019 ASPIRE Prize (Australian Academy of Science)
• 2024 Google GEO For Good Impact Award
• 2022 JCU Research Excellence Award

Graduate Opportunities: Supervises PhD/Masters projects on Coastal Change, Earth Observation, and Conservation Tools, with a focus on Australia’s Coral Sea and Southeast Asian wetlands.