Jen Matthews

Jen Matthews is a Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Faculty of Science, within the Climate Change Cluster (C3). Her research focuses on coral biology, marine metabolomics, and coral reef conservation, particularly optimizing coral nutrition to enhance resilience during vulnerable life stages. Matthews is Deputy Team Leader of the Future Reefs Research Group and serves on UTS’s Science Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee and Dive Safety team.

She holds a PhD in coral symbiosis and has pioneered projects like Big Blue Conservation, a non-profit restoring Thai reefs. Her work bridges academia, policy, and public engagement, recognized by awards such as Science and Technology Australia’s Superstar of STEM (2020).

Her funded research includes A$3.4 million since 2017, including a Human Frontier Science Programme fellowship. Key projects address coral reproductive biology, metabolomics-based diagnostics, and larval propagation for reef restoration. She collaborates globally on climate change impacts and coral resilience.

Matthews’ scientific contributions span over 30 peer-reviewed articles, emphasizing metabolomic approaches to understand symbiosis, stress responses, and restoration strategies. Her research integrates fieldwork, lab experiments, and interdisciplinary methods to advance coral conservation solutions.