Biography:Jessica Melbourne-Thomas
Jessica Melbourne-Thomas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nationality | Australia |
| Other names | Jess Melbourne-Thomas |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania University of Oxford |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Marine ecology, Ecosystem modelling |
| Institutions | Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |
Jessica Melbourne-Thomas is a marine, Antarctic and climate change scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia. Her research focuses on climate change, its effects on the marine environment, and how to adapt and response to these changes.
Early life and education
Melbourne-Thomas completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Tasmania in 2002. She then moved to the UK to the University of Oxford to undertake her Rhodes Scholarship from 2003-2005 working on coral community dynamics.[1][2] In 2010 she completed her PhD, which developed modelling tools to assist managers in their management of coral reefs, at the University of Tasmania.[3]
Career
Melbourne-Thomas is a marine ecologist and knowledge broker.[4] Her research focuses on bridging the gap between complex scientific research and decision-making for sustainability, particularly in relation to climate change adaptation. She worked as an ecosystem modeller and science communicator with the Australian Antarctic Division.[5] She was a lead author for the IPCC's Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate in 2019.[6][7]
Melbourne-Thomas is highly engaged in science communication and the translation of science into decision-making, including through outreach to end-users and policy briefings. She is a co-presenter for the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Open2Study entitled Marine and Antarctic Science.[8] She was named Tasmania's Young Tall Poppy of the Year in 2015 and was one of Science and Technology Australia's first 30 Superstars of STEM.[9]
Melbourne-Thomas was also the co-founder, along with business entrepreneur Fabian Dattner, of the first Homeward Bound voyage, which is an Australian-led, global initiative to foster women's leadership in science.[10][11] Recognizing the difficulties women in science careers have in obtaining funding, balancing the demands of families and careers, the initiative is privately funded.[12] Her role was to coordinate the science program for the 2016 Homeward Bound program.[13] When challenges prevented the group of 76 global women scientists of varying specialities from sailing out of Australia, Melbourne-Thomas worked to reorganize the launch out of Ushuaia, Argentina.[12][14] After completion of the research trip, applications were opened for a second voyage and the team was finalized in 2017. They sailed on their second expedition in 2018.[14]
She was one of 12 noted female scientists to be featured as a constellation on the ceiling of the Grand Central Station (New York City) as part of GE's Balance the Equation Initiative.[15][16]
Melbourne-Thomas is the 2020 Tasmanian Australian of the Year.
Melbourne-Thomas has been published in ICES Journal of Marine Science,[17] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature ecology & evolution, Frontiers in Marine Science, Global Change Biology,[18] Ecology & Society[19] Ecological Applications,[20] Journal of Marine Systems,[21] and PLoS One.[22]
Awards and honors
- 2003-2005: Rhodes Scholarship[1][23]
- 2015: Tasmania's Young Tall Poppy of the Year[9]
- 2017: Women's Agenda Leadership Awards (finalist)[24]
- 2017: Science and Technology Australia, 30 Superstars of STEM[25]
- 2020: Tasmanian Australian of the Year[26]
Selected works and publications
- Melbourne-Thomas, J.; Wotherspoon, S.; Raymond, B.; Constable, A. (November 2012). "Comprehensive evaluation of model uncertainty in qualitative network analyses". Ecological Monographs 82 (4): 505–519. doi:10.1890/12-0207.1.
- Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Constable, Andrew; Wotherspoon, Simon; Raymond, Ben; Ropert-Coudert, Yan (6 February 2013). "Testing Paradigms of Ecosystem Change under Climate Warming in Antarctica". PLoS ONE 8 (2): e55093. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055093. PMID 23405116. Bibcode: 2013PLoSO...855093M.
- Constable, Andrew J.; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Corney, Stuart P.; Arrigo, Kevin R.; Barbraud, Christophe; Barnes, David K. A.; Bindoff, Nathaniel L.; Boyd, Philip W. et al. (October 2014). "Climate change and Southern Ocean ecosystems I: how changes in physical habitats directly affect marine biota". Global Change Biology 20 (10): 3004–3025. doi:10.1111/gcb.12623. PMID 24802817. Bibcode: 2014GCBio..20.3004C.
- Marzloff, Martin Pierre; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Hamon, Katell G.; Hoshino, Eriko; Jennings, Sarah; van Putten, Ingrid E.; Pecl, Gretta T. (July 2016). "Modelling marine community responses to climate-driven species redistribution to guide monitoring and adaptive ecosystem-based management". Global Change Biology 22 (7): 2462–2474. doi:10.1111/gcb.13285. PMID 26990671. Bibcode: 2016GCBio..22.2462M.
- Constable, Andrew J.; Costa, Daniel P.; Schofield, Oscar; Newman, Louise; Urban, Edward R.; Fulton, Elizabeth A.; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Ballerini, Tosca et al. (September 2016). "Developing priority variables ("ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables" — eEOVs) for observing dynamics and change in Southern Ocean ecosystems". Journal of Marine Systems 161: 26–41. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2016.05.003. Bibcode: 2016JMS...161...26C.
- Melbourne-Thomas, J.; Corney, S. P.; Trebilco, R.; Meiners, K. M.; Stevens, R. P.; Kawaguchi, S.; Sumner, M. D.; Constable, A. J. (4 October 2016). "Under ice habitats for Antarctic krill larvae: Could less mean more under climate warming?". Geophysical Research Letters 43 (19): 10,322–10,327. doi:10.1002/2016GL070846. Bibcode: 2016GeoRL..4310322M. http://ecite.utas.edu.au/112243.
- Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Constable, Andrew J; Fulton, Elizabeth A; Corney, Stuart P; Trebilco, Rowan; Hobday, Alistair J; Blanchard, Julia L; Boschetti, Fabio et al. (1 December 2017). "Integrated modelling to support decision-making for marine social–ecological systems in Australia". ICES Journal of Marine Science 74 (9): 2298–2308. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsx078.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Jess Melbourne-Thomas Profile". http://rhodesproject.com/jess-melbourne-thomas-profile/.
- ↑ "Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas". https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/dr-jess-melbourne-thomas/.
- ↑ "Dr Jessica Melbourne-Thomas". Australian Government. http://www.antarctica.gov.au/science/meet-our-scientists/dr-jessica-melbourne-thomas.
- ↑ "Dr Jessica Melbourne-Thomas". https://people.csiro.au/m/j/jess-melbourne-thomas.
- ↑ "Female scientist Tas Aussie of the Year". Canberra Times. 18 October 2019. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6446668/female-scientist-tas-aussie-of-the-year/?cs=14231.
- ↑ "Modelling marine futures with maths". http://www.utas.edu.au/news/2017/11/30/479-modelling-marine-futures-with-maths/.
- ↑ "Australia: Ecosystems Expert to Compile Collective Climate Change Knowledge". Mena Report. 21 August 2017. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-501299170.html.
- ↑ "Marine and Antarctic Science (Marine)". https://www.open2study.com/courses/marine-and-antarctic-science.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "2015 Tasmanian Tall Poppy Winners". AIPS. 2015. http://www.aips.net.au/tall-poppies/tas-tall-poppies/past-tas-tall-poppy-winners/2015-tasmanian-tall-poppy-winners/.
- ↑ "Largest Ever All-Female Expedition Sets Sail For Antarctica". 3 December 2016. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/largest-ever-all-female-expedition-sets-sail-for-antarctica_us_584191c4e4b017f37fe425e4.
- ↑ "Homeward Bound Vogue Game Changers 2018 - Vogue Australia". 12 March 2018. https://www.vogue.com.au/gamechangers/technology-and-business/homeward-bound/news-story/095f8341c7ade07228dfd1da00b12bbf.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Largest all-women expedition heads to Antarctica". BBC (London, England). 1 December 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170614185020/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-38139925.
- ↑ Scott, Katy (22 June 2017). "How women in science are setting themselves up to save our planet". CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/22/world/homeward-bound-antarctica/index.html.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Burgos, Alejandra (26 July 2017). "Antártida, mujeres y liderazgo" (in es). El País (Madrid, Spain). Archived from the original on 14 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180714203108/https://elpais.com/elpais/2017/07/19/planeta_futuro/1500482753_085524.html.
- ↑ "Rewriting The Stars: Women Scientists Shine Amid Grand Central's Constellations - GE Reports". GE Reports. 2017-09-19. https://www.ge.com/reports/rewriting-stars-women-scientists-shine-amid-grand-centrals-constellations/.
- ↑ Syckle, Katie Van. "Female Scientists Will Be Honored in a Light Show at Grand Central". The Cut. https://www.thecut.com/2017/09/ge-light-show-at-grand-central-honors-female-scientists.html.
- ↑ Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Constable, Andrew J; Fulton, Elizabeth A; Corney, Stuart P; Trebilco, Rowan; Hobday, Alistair J; Blanchard, Julia L; Boschetti, Fabio et al. (2017-05-26). "Integrated modelling to support decision-making for marine social–ecological systems in Australia". ICES Journal of Marine Science 74 (9): 2298–2308. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsx078. ISSN 1054-3139.
- ↑ Marzloff, Martin Pierre; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Hamon, Katell G.; Hoshino, Eriko; Jennings, Sarah; Van Putten, Ingrid E.; Pecl, Gretta T. (2017-02-17). "Modelling marine community responses to climate-driven species redistribution to guide monitoring and adaptive ecosystem-based management". Global Change Biology 23 (3): 1360. doi:10.1111/gcb.13607. ISSN 1354-1013. PMID 28211250. Bibcode: 2017GCBio..23.1360M.
- ↑ Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Johnson, Craig R.; Perez, Pascal; Eustache, Jeremy; Fulton, Elizabeth A.; Cleland, Deborah (September 2011). "Coupling Biophysical and Socioeconomic Models for Coral Reef Systems in Quintana Roo, Mexican Caribbean". Ecology & Society 16 (3): 1–20. doi:10.5751/ES-04208-160323.
- ↑ Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Johnson, Craig R.; Fung, Tak; Seymour, Robert M.; Chérubin, Laurent M.; Arias-González, J. Ernesto; Fulton, Elizabeth A. (June 2011). "Regional-scale scenario modeling for coral reefs: a decision support tool to inform management of a complex system". Ecological Applications 21 (4): 1380–1398. doi:10.1890/09-1564.1. ISSN 1051-0761. PMID 21774437.
- ↑ Constable, Andrew J.; Costa, Daniel P.; Schofield, Oscar; Newman, Louise; Urban, Edward R.; Fulton, Elizabeth A.; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Ballerini, Tosca et al. (September 2016). "Developing priority variables ("ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables" — eEOVs) for observing dynamics and change in Southern Ocean ecosystems". Journal of Marine Systems 161: 26–41. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2016.05.003. ISSN 0924-7963. Bibcode: 2016JMS...161...26C.
- ↑ Gurney, Georgina G.; Melbourne-Thomas, Jessica; Geronimo, Rollan C.; Aliño, Perry M.; Johnson, Craig R. (2013-11-18). "Modelling Coral Reef Futures to Inform Management: Can Reducing Local-Scale Stressors Conserve Reefs under Climate Change?". PLOS ONE 8 (11): e80137. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080137. ISSN 1932-6203. PMID 24260347. Bibcode: 2013PLoSO...880137G.
- ↑ "Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas". https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/dr-jess-melbourne-thomas/.
- ↑ "Meet the finalists of the 2017 Women's Agenda Leadership Awards". Women's Agenda. 2017-09-19. https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/meet-finalists-2017-womens-agenda-leadership-awards/.
- ↑ McCormack, Ange (2017-07-03). "Government names 30 amazing women doing groundbreaking work in STEM". Hack. http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/women-in-stem/8674256/.
- ↑ "Honour roll - Australian of the Year Awards". https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/honour-roll/?view=fullView&recipientID=2139.
External links
- Jessica Melbourne-Thomas publications indexed by Google Scholar
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