Melissa Cowlishaw

Melissa Cowlishaw is a Researcher affiliated with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University. Her work focuses on understanding coral reef ecosystems, their dynamics across scales, and their resilience to climate change. She completed a BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology at the University of Queensland and a PhD at James Cook University, investigating habitat quality and fish distribution on coral reefs.

Education:

• BSc (Hons), Marine Biology, University of Queensland
• PhD, James Cook University (supervised by Dr Geoff Jones and Dr Mark McCormick)

Research Highlights: Mel explores links between coral reefs and human societies, including ecosystem services, macroevolutionary patterns, and climate adaptation strategies. Her fieldwork includes studies at Lizard Island Research Station.

Key Themes in Publications: Recent work addresses genetic insights into coral resilience and socioeconomic impacts of climate change on tropical fisheries and vulnerable communities.

Affiliations: Core member of the now-concluded ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (2005–2022).