Joseph Christensen

Joseph Christensen is a Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Western Australia’s School of Humanities. He holds a PhD in History from UWA (2008) and has extensive postdoctoral experience at Murdoch University’s Asia Research Centre. His research bridges maritime and environmental history, focusing on Western Australia within regional and global contexts. Notable collaborations include the ‘Appraising Risk, Past and Present’ Partnership with McGill University’s Indian Ocean World Centre.

His expertise spans Western Australian history, environmental history, and Indian Ocean studies. Key research areas include fisheries, tropical cyclones, pearling industries, and ecological restoration. He has contributed to multi-disciplinary projects on natural hazards, marine conservation, and historical climatology.

• Education: BA (Hons) and PhD in History, University of Western Australia
• Grants: Led projects on fish population archives and mussel reef restoration funded by Minderoo Foundation and The Nature Conservancy (2019–2024)
• Collaborations: Partnerships with researchers in the UK, Singapore, and India

Christensen’s 61+ publications analyze historical data to address contemporary environmental challenges, such as cyclone risk assessment and ecological baseline reconstruction. His work intersects with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action and sustainable communities.