Emma Letitia Johnston is an Australian
marine ecologist and academic. In February 2025, she became the Vice Chancellor of the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
.
She was also the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at the
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...
,
[ University of New South Wales website, ''Professor Emma Johnston'']
/ref> as well as the former dean of science and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was established in 1949.
The university comprises seven faculties, through which it offers bachelor's, master's and docto ...
. She also served as president of Science & Technology Australia.
Early life and education
Emma Letitia Johnston[ grew up near the sea, and spent much time swimming, ]snorkelling
Snorkeling ( British and Commonwealth English spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of swimming face down on or through a body of water while breathing the ambient air through a shaped tube called a snorkel, usually with swimming goggles or a ...
and sailing as a child. Her father was an applied mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change.
History
One ...
and her mother a painter.
Johnston studied physics and chemistry in high school, and not biology. However, she decided to focus on biology in her undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
) at the University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
, which she completed in 1998 with first class Honours. In 1994, Johnston was elected president of the Melbourne University Student Union, at the time the largest student organisation in Australia, for 1995.
Johnston completed her PhD in marine ecology
Marine ecosystems are the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems and exist in waters that have a high salt content. These systems contrast with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover more than 70% of the sur ...
in 2002 at the University of Melbourne.
Career
Johnston joined University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was established in 1949.
The university comprises seven faculties, through which it offers bachelor's, master's and docto ...
(UNSW Sydney) as an associate lecturer in 2001.
She went on to became head of the Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Lab at UNSW. She has also led major projects for industry, government, the Australian Research Council
The Australian Research Council (ARC) is the primary non-medical research funding agency of the Australian Government, distributing more than in grants each year. The Council was established by the ''Australian Research Council Act 2001'', ...
and the Australian Antarctic Science Program.[ University of Sydney website, ''Children’s book profiles Professor Emma Johnston'', article dated 8 August 2022]
/ref> She was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at UNSW.[
Johnston was the inaugural director of the Sydney Harbour Research Program, a flagship research project at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. She was director of the project in 2012.]
She was Dean of Science at UNSW until July 2022, when she was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney.
Research
Johnston's research group at UNSW investigated the ecology
Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ...
of human impacts in marine systems, combining the diverse disciplines of ecology, microbiology
Microbiology () is the branches of science, scientific study of microorganisms, those being of unicellular organism, unicellular (single-celled), multicellular organism, multicellular (consisting of complex cells), or non-cellular life, acellula ...
and ecotoxicology
Ecotoxicology is the study of the effects of toxic chemicals on biological organisms, especially at the population biology, population, biological community, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels. Ecotoxicology is a multidisciplinary field, ...
to expand fundamental understanding and provide recommendations for management. Her research is conducted in such diverse field environments as Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a ria, natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove River, Lane ...
, Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...
, the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
, and temperate Australian estuaries
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...
.
Among Johnston's significant research findings is the discovery that toxic contaminants facilitate the invasion of coastal waterways by non-indigenous species. Some of her research topics include: determining the major drivers of marine bio-invasions, the vulnerability of Antarctic marine communities, and developing new biomonitoring
In analytical chemistry, biomonitoring is the measurement of the body burden of toxic chemical compounds, elements, or their metabolites, in biological substances. Often, these measurements are done in blood and urine. Biomonitoring is performe ...
techniques and informing the development of effective management of biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
in Australian estuarine
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...
systems.
Other activities
Johnston is also a high-profile science communicator, winning the 2015 Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research. She is a regular media commentator and, as co-presenter of the Foxtel
NXE Australia Pty Ltd, trading as the Foxtel Group, is an Australian pay television company that operates cable television, direct-broadcast satellite, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April ...
/BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
television series ''Coast Australia
''Coast'' is a BBC Television documentary, documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two television in 2005. It covers various subjects relating to both the natural and social history of the Coastline of the United Kingdom, British coastline and ...
''. has helped take Australian marine science to an international audience. She also launched a Sydney Harbour cruise called ''Underwater Secrets' - Sydney Harbour Revealed'', which focuses on scientific research into the waterway.
As a former president of Science & Technology Australia, Professor Johnston is also a public advocate for science and for increasing the participation of women in research.
Recognition and awards
Johnston was a 2007 winner of the Australian Institute of Policy and Science's Tall Poppy Award for her research into the effects of introduced species and contaminants on existing Australian marine species.
In 2012, Johnston was named NSW Scientist of the Year for Excellence in Biological Sciences (Plant, Agriculture and Environment) in the NSW Science and Engineering Awards.[
In 2014, she won the inaugural ]Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...
Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science. This medal was presented to Johnston at Science at the Shine Dome on 28 May 2014.
In 2015, Johnston won The Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry AU Mid-Career Medal for excellence in scientific work in Australasia that has involved substantial environmental toxicology and chemistry. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. It is the oldest learned society in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Society traces its ...
(FRSN).
Johnston was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
(AO) in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to higher education, particularly to marine ecology and ecotoxicology, as an academic, researcher and administrator, and to scientific institutes." In September 2018, she was named one of ''The Australian Financial Review's'' 100 Women of Influence in the Innovation category.
In December 2018, she was awarded the Clarke Medal
The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales, the oldest learned society in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, for distinguished work in the Natural sciences.
The medal is named in honour of the Reverend William Branwh ...
by the Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. It is the oldest learned society in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Society traces its ...
.
Johnston was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is an independent learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems.
History
The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences was foun ...
(FTSE) in 2019, and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...
in 2022.
Publications
, Johnston had published over 112 peer-reviewed works.
By early 2025, her h-index
The ''h''-index is an author-level metric that measures both the productivity and citation impact of the publications, initially used for an individual scientist or scholar. The ''h''-index correlates with success indicators such as winning t ...
was 62. Google Scholar website, ''Emma L Johnston AO FAA FTSE FRSN'', retrieved 20 February 2025
/ref>
Footnotes
References
External links
Official profile
at the University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was established in 1949.
The university comprises seven faculties, through which it offers bachelor's, master's and docto ...
''One Plus One'' "Nature Plus Nurture" Summer Series: Emma Johnston
Interview with Jane Hutcheon, ABC TV, broadcast 7 January 2016.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Emma
Australian ecologists
Australian women ecologists
Australian women scientists
University of Melbourne alumni
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Australian toxicologists
Academic staff of the University of New South Wales
Officers of the Order of Australia
Fellows of the Australian Academy of Science
Fellows of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering