Rate My Professor Nicholas Murray

Nicholas Murray is Professor of Global Ecology and Conservation in the College of Science and Engineering at James Cook University, based in the Marine Biology and Aquaculture group. He leads the Global Ecology Lab and serves as Global Science Lead for the Group on Earth Observations Global Ecosystem Atlas. Murray holds degrees in Environmental Science from Flinders University, Spatial Ecology from Griffith University, and a PhD in conservation biology from the University of Queensland. His career includes appointments as Associate Professor at James Cook University (2022–2025), ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award Fellow at James Cook University (2019–2022), Senior Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (2016–2019), Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland (2016–2017), Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (2014–2016), Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge (2014), and Visiting Fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (2013–2014).

Murray's research focuses on the interface of ecology, geospatial science, and conservation biology, addressing ecosystem dynamics, earth observation, global change, migration ecology, and species conservation in terrestrial and marine environments. He leads projects such as the European Space Agency World Ecosystem Extent Dynamics Project (2024–2027) and mapping of Australia’s saltmarsh ecosystems (2021–2023). Key publications include 'The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats' (2019), 'High-resolution mapping of losses and gains of Earth’s tidal wetlands' (2022), 'Global mangrove extent change 1996–2020: Global Mangrove Watch Version 3.0' (2022), and 'A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems' (2022). He has developed global datasets on coastal ecosystems including tidal flats, saltmarshes, mangroves, and coral reefs, contributing to systems like Global Intertidal Change and the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. Awards include the Google GEO For Good Impact Award (2024), JCU Award for Excellence in Research (2022), nomination as Australia’s candidate for the APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (2019), IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Young Professional Award (2016), and Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Environmental Research (2015, team award). Murray is Associate Editor for Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation and Remote Sensing, and serves on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Global Science Team and European Space Agency advisory boards. His contributions support global conservation policy and environmental management.