معرفی
Zoe Xirocostas is a Chancellor's Research Fellow at the School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Her research focuses on plant adaptation to climate change, invasion biology, and functional traits across ecosystems. She completed her PhD in Ecology at UNSW Sydney in 2022 and held a postdoctoral position there. She currently serves as Independent Chair of the School of Life Sciences Forum and holds leadership roles in the Ecological Society of Australia and Sydney Society for Conservation Biology.
Education:
- PhD in Ecology, UNSW Sydney (2023)
- BSc (Hons) in Biology, UNSW Sydney
Research interests span ecology and evolutionary biology, including plant-animal interactions under global change, urban adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. She emphasizes applied research with real-world impact, leveraging innovative tools like the COVERater and ZAX Herbivory Trainer for ecological data collection.
Her articles explore topics like biodiversity-consumer relationships, preprint systems in ecology, and biocrust resilience to climate warming. She has secured grants including a 2025 project on Rare Earth Elements extraction using bioprocesses.
Awards and grants: Multiple institutional and national grants, though specific award names are not listed. Active in science communication, performing at Sydney Comedy Festival and Pint of Science events.
Teaching and supervision: Coordinates undergraduate courses on nature & evolution and biodiversity conservation. Supervises 6+ current and past students across honours, masters, and PhD programs. Collaborates with experts like Prof. Angela Moles and A/Prof Brad Murray.
