Rate My Professor Emma Johnston

Professor Emma Johnston AO served as the 21st Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, commencing the role on 10 February 2025. A distinguished researcher of marine environments and leading authority in marine ecology, she previously held senior leadership positions at other Group of Eight universities, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney and Dean of Science and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of New South Wales. Professor Johnston completed her Bachelor of Science in 1998 and Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Ecology at the University of Melbourne. Her research specialised in the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems and strategies to build ecological resilience, addressing challenges such as marine debris and the effects of climate extremes. She led research teams in diverse environments including the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica, and temperate Australian estuaries. Professor Johnston was co-chief author of the 2021 Australian Government State of the Environment report and authored 185 peer-reviewed journal articles while supervising more than 35 higher degree research students. She served as past President of Science & Technology Australia, Director on the Board of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and Director of the Sydney Harbour Research Program at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. In 2018 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to higher education, marine ecology and ecotoxicology, and scientific institutes. Professor Johnston was an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and the Royal Society of New South Wales, and served on the CSIRO Board and as a governor of the Ian Potter Foundation.