Associate Professor
Susan Fuller

Faculty of Science,
School of Biology & Environmental Science
Biography
Large areas of Australia are experiencing sustained anthropogenic pressure, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. I am passionate about protecting our ecosystems and biodiversity through the use of interdisciplinary and innovative technological approaches in ecological research. I have a particular interest in using ecoacoustic innovations to monitor changes in ecosystem health and impacts on biodiversity.I am a level 3 Mentoring Postgraduate Supervisor and current student projects in my research group include:
- Evolution of intra and intersexual signalling in two frog species, Litoria wilcoxii and Litoria jungguy
- Acoustic signalling and subspecies divergence in two Australasian treecreeper species (Climacteris picumnus and Cormobates leucophaea).
- Evaluation of faunal biodiversity in urban restoration
- Conservation biology of threatened native olives (genus Notelaea) in southern Queensland
- Using ecoacoustic monitoring to monitor biodiversity and guide urban development in peri-urban settings
- An examination of the influence of landscape structure on insectivorous bats and birds in cotton
My achievements in research have been recognised by QUT in 2008 and 2015 when I have been awarded Vice-Chancellor’s Performance Awards.
Personal details
Positions
- Associate Professor in Ecology
Faculty of Science,
School of Biology & Environmental Science
Keywords
conservation biology, biodiversity, ecoacoustics, ecology, evolutionary biology
Discipline
Ecology, Environmental Science and Management, Evolutionary Biology
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- Ph.d (Queensland University of Technology)
Professional memberships and associations
Teaching
- Conservation Biology
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
I commenced teaching at QUT in 2004. Since this time, I have developed and delivered new curriculum that is challenging, authentic and relevant for all undergraduate year levels and across the biological science, environmental science and environmental engineering curriculum. My teaching goal is to capture student interest and extend student understanding and I do this by connecting students with the subject matter so that they can personally relate to concepts and build a deep level of knowledge. My teaching emphasises practical applications for solving environmental problems and real world learning outcomes which will enhance student prospects of employment.
I received nominations for VC Awards for Excellence in the areas of exceptional sustained performance and outstanding achievements in innovative and creative practice, leadership and learning and teaching in both 2015 and 2016, and in 2018 I completed QUT's Expert Peer Review of Educational Practice and gained an overall outcome of ‘exceptional’.
Experience
I am also collaborating with the Cotton Research Development Corporation on a research project to deliver new technologies to improve natural resources (biodiversity) on Australian cotton farms. This project funding will have important scientific benefit as well as societal outcomes as on-ground engagement with landholders will lead to improved biodiversity management in cotton dominated landscapes.
Selected publications
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Susan, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).