Jane Williamson

Professor Jane Williamson is a marine ecologist and fisheries biologist at Macquarie University's School of Natural Sciences, leading the Marine Ecology Group (MEG). She has over 30 years of experience assessing ocean health and human-induced challenges, focusing on threatened species, sustainable fishing practices, and species like sharks, rays, and sea cucumbers. Her roles include Chair of the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee, membership in Plastic Oceans Australasia's Technical Advisory Panel, and editorial roles for Frontiers in Marine Science, Oceans, and Remote Sensing.

Education:

• PhD in Marine Ecology (University of New South Wales, 2001)
• MSc (Hons I) in Zoology (University of Auckland, 1992)
• BSc in Marine Biology (University of Sydney, 1990)

Research Interests: Marine biodiversity, sustainable fisheries, shark/ray biology, aquaculture, and ocean health. Her work integrates ecological assessments with policy recommendations to address overfishing and habitat degradation. Recent projects include studying coral reef complexity impacts on damselfish cognition and optimizing fishing practices for species resilience.

Publications: Over 160 peer-reviewed articles, with recent focus on elasmobranch behavior, marine conservation, and ecosystem monitoring. Key themes include species identification, climate change effects, and technological innovations in marine research.

Awards:

• 2014: Department of Biological Sciences Creativity & Teaching Award
• 2012: Faculty of Science Learning & Teaching Citation
• 2020: FSE Excellence in HDR Supervision
• 2014: Macquarie Excellence in Research (Highly Commended)

Grants & Projects:

• MQ Marine Research Centre funding (2015–present)
• Evaluating DNA metabarcoding in pelagic fishes (2023)
• NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee leadership

Labs & Teams: MEG collaborates internationally on projects like coral reef health, shark movement ecology, and marine debris management. The group emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches combining fieldwork, molecular tools, and policy advocacy.