Emily Austen

Emily Austen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Mount Allison University. Her research focuses on plant ecology and evolutionary biology, with an emphasis on floral traits, pollinator interactions, and phenotypic plasticity. She investigates how environmental changes influence plant reproductive strategies and adaptation, particularly in urban ecosystems and pollinator-dependent systems.

Her work integrates field experiments, quantitative genetics, and ecological modeling to understand selection pressures on flowering time, floral coloration, and plant-microbe interactions. Recent projects include studies on white clover adaptation to urban environments and the ecological significance of pollen color variation in Erythronium americanum.

Dr. Austen has contributed to foundational reviews in plant sciences education and pioneered methodologies for estimating selection through male fitness in hermaphroditic plants. Her research bridges ecological and evolutionary perspectives, addressing questions about phenotypic variation, adaptation mechanisms, and the interplay between genotype and environment.