Michael Burton

Michael Burton is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia (UWA) in the School of Agriculture and Environment, affiliated with the UWA Oceans Institute and the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy. He holds a BSc from Bath University, an MA from Manchester University, and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Manchester. Previously, he served at the University of Manchester as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer. His research focuses on applied economics in agriculture and natural resources, emphasizing quantitative methods for environmental valuation, particularly marine biodiversity. Key projects include the NERP Marine Biodiversity Hub and work on coastal ecosystems. He teaches Agricultural Policy, Econometrics, and Natural Resource Economics. Burton has secured 46 grants, including projects on biosolids transformation and coastal values. His awards include the UWA School of Agriculture and Environment Research Mentorship Award (2023) and collaborative research recognitions. He collaborates internationally on topics like habitat dependency indices and stakeholder engagement in marine management.

Education:

• BSc in Economics, Bath University (1981)
• MA in Agricultural Economics, Manchester University
• PhD in Agricultural Economics, Manchester University

Research Interests:

His work spans agricultural policy, bio-economic modelling, non-market valuation, and sustainable resource management. He applies choice experiments and willingness-to-pay analyses to evaluate environmental and policy impacts. Current emphases include marine ecosystem valuation, urban waterways management, and stakeholder-driven decision support systems.

Grants & Projects:

• Valuation of marine biodiversity (NERP Marine Biodiversity Hub)
• Coastal Values Project (WA Department of Planning)
• Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Biosolids (ARC)

Awards:

• School of Agriculture and Environment Award for Research Mentorship (2023)
• Quality of Research Discovery Award (2021)
• Quality of Research Communication Award (2014)

Labs/Teams:

He leads research through the UWA Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy and collaborates with the UWA Oceans Institute. His work integrates interdisciplinary teams for marine spatial planning and ecosystem service valuation.