Richard Harper

Richard Harper is a Professor at Murdoch University, affiliated with the Food Futures Institute and the School of Agricultural Sciences within the College of Environmental and Life Sciences. His research focuses on soil, water, and biodiversity management, with emphasis on carbon mitigation, soil water repellency, and ecohydrology. He has held roles including lead author on the 2014 IPCC report and chair of IUFRO’s Forests and Water Taskforce.

Harper holds a B.Sc. Agric. (Hons) and Ph.D. (Agriculture) from the University of Western Australia. His current research includes 4 PhD and 2 MSc students, collaborating nationally and internationally. Awards include Murdoch University’s 2021 Excellence in Research Award for sustained achievement.

Key research themes involve leveraging carbon markets for landscape restoration, managing soil water repellency in agricultural/forested systems, and exploring bioenergy solutions. His work bridges science and policy, addressing climate mitigation through reforestation, mangrove restoration, and forest hydrology. He teaches soil science, climate mitigation, and hydrology courses at Murdoch.

Publications span over three decades, with recent focus on remote sensing for forest monitoring, mangrove carbon projects, and soil carbon dynamics. Grants and collaborations include government and international bodies, reflecting his role in translating research into actionable policy and practice.