Alistair Poore

Professor Alistair Poore serves as Head of the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of New South Wales. With a PhD from UNSW (1999) and BSc(Hons) from Monash University (1992), he has established himself as a leading marine ecologist focusing on coastal ecosystems.

His research program spans multiple interconnected themes:

• Ecology and evolution of interactions among marine organisms
• Impacts of herbivores on plant communities
• Human impacts on coastal marine ecosystems
• Adaptation of marine organisms to environmental stress
• Use of citizen science data for biodiversity monitoring

Professor Poore's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on threatened seagrass ecosystems, particularly Posidonia australis, examining responses to climate change, tropicalization, and physical disturbance. His work increasingly integrates citizen science approaches, using recreational diver photographs and other unconventional data sources for ecological monitoring. The research shows a progression from fundamental ecological theory toward applied conservation solutions, with extensive international collaborations across Australian, Pacific, and global marine environments.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (2020)
• Provasoli Award from the Phycological Society of America (2014)
• Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2013)
• UNSW Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence (2012)

Professor Poore actively supervises PhD students working on diverse marine topics including amphibian detection using DNA, bluebottle behavior, artificial light impacts, seagrass restoration, and reef monitoring. His teaching portfolio includes BEES2041 Data Analysis for Life and Earth Scientists, BIOS2031 Biology of Invertebrates, and BIOS3091 Marine and Aquatic Ecology, complemented by freely available Environmental Computing tutorials.

His research bridges fundamental ecological questions with practical conservation applications, particularly in Australian coastal environments, with growing emphasis on how climate change reshapes marine biodiversity and ecosystem function through processes like tropicalization and habitat fragmentation.