Secretary: 2015 – 2016
Councillor: 2013 – 2015
Melanie is an Associate Professor of Biology at Macquarie University, where she leads the Benthic Ecology Lab. She completed her PhD at Sydney University in 2003 and subsequently held postdoctoral positions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA) and University of Technology Sydney, before taking up her present position at Macquarie University in 2008. Melanie’s research focuses on temperate coastal ecosystems, which are not only one of the most important ecosystems in terms of marine productivity and nutrient cycling, but are also areas that have borne the brunt of human impacts. Much of her research is field based, utilizing manipulative experiments to understand how multiple factors interact to influence coastal biodiversity. She has served on the NSW Branch Council since 2007, including as Branch President (2009-2011), and joined the National AMSA Council in 2013.