Associate Professor Martin Breed
Senior lecturer in biology, Flinders University
See Associate Professor Breed’s full research profile here.
Research outputs linked to policy change and decision-making
- Associate Professor Breed has worked extensively to disseminate his work to a broad audience, with notable impact to policy and land management practices. He has built an internationally recognised, leading research group in restoration ecology, with a particular focus on considering environmental restoration during global change and pioneering the applications of genomics into restoration (e.g. Breed et al. Nature Reviews Genetics 2019). His work leading this research team has contributed to improved habitat restoration practices that facilitate adaptation to climate change and changed seed-sourcing practices in fragmented landscapes. This work has shaped the practices, policies and activities of local restoration groups (e.g. Trees For Life), local governments (e.g. City of Adelaide), national restoration coordination or advocacy groups (e.g. FloraBank Guidelines, Greening Australia, Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia) and international organisations (e.g. Society for Ecological Restoration).
- Associate Professor Breed was central to developing and now co-directing the Healthy Urban Microbiome Initiative (HUMI), which is a unique global collaboration that is exploring the effects of environmental microbiota on health. His work with HUMI has led to changes to public policy and practices in response to harnessing and restoring biodiversity in urban and planned environments to improve public health. This research has influenced the guidelines, practices and policies on which urban planning, education, public health and restoration activities are planned on local (e.g. City of Adelaide, Trees For Life), state (e.g. SA’s Healthy Parks, Healthy People framework 2021–2026, Green Adelaide Landscape Board, SA Water) and international (e.g. World Health Organization [WHO] biodiversity and health policies, United Nations Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity) levels.
Current academic employment and positions
- 2021–present: senior lecturer in biology, Flinders University
- 2019–2021: lecturer in biology, Flinders University.
Highest qualification
- PhD in Bioscience (Dean’s Commendation), University of Adelaide, Australia
Major prizes, medals and honours
- 2021: Research Mentorship Award, Flinders University
- 2019: Bradshaw Medal, International Society for Ecological Restoration
- 2016: Outstanding Early Career Alumnus, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
- 2015: Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
- 2015: Tall Poppy Science Award for Academic and Science Communication Excellence, Australian Institute of Policy and Science
- 2013: Science Excellence Award, PhD Research Excellence Life and Environmental Sciences, South Australian Government
Links with non-government groups or networks
My Projects
Current project
Completed project
NESP RLH, 2021-2027NESP, 2015-2021NERP, 2012-2015TRaCK, 2005-present
