Dr Farzin Shabani
Academic Level A
College of Science and Engineering
Research Overview
My research focuses on understanding and forecasting ecological and environmental change through the integration of correlative and mechanistic vegetation models. I apply diverse modeling techniques to predict how plant species may respond to future climate scenarios, supporting conservation planning and adaptation strategies across vulnerable landscapes.
I am also actively engaged in environmental risk assessments, addressing hazards such as floods, landslides, and fire susceptibility. These projects utilize advanced GIS, spatial analysis, and time series modeling to evaluate environmental change and inform sustainable development and disaster risk mitigation strategies.
Across all projects, I prioritize spatially explicit, data-driven approaches to support evidence-based environmental decision-making. My work has been published in leading international journals, including Ecology and Evolution, Science of the Total Environment, Catena, Environmental Technology & Innovation, and Ecography.
Latest info => LINK
Academic Background and Experience
I have completed four postdoctoral fellowships totaling eight years: a four-year fellowship at Flinders University; two one-year fellowships at Macquarie University; and a two-year postdoctoral position at the University of New England (UNE). At UNE, I also taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in GIS, Remote Sensing, and Image Analysis. In addition, I served as a GIS specialist for the Australian Government’s Pacific Climate Change Project.
In 2021, I served as a guest lecturer at Flinders University, delivering the course Introduction to Geographical Information Systems. That same year, I was invited by the Department of Regional NSW – Primary Industries (Weed Research Unit) to consult on climate change impacts affecting invasive plant and animal species in New South Wales.
Co-supervision: I have co-supervised four PhD students, all of whom were awarded the degree.
Profiles and Academic Networks
ORCID: link — Scopus ID: link — Google Scholar: link — Publons: link — ResearchGate: link
- 2012-2016 - University of New England, Australia. PhD in Environmental Science, Environmental modeling, Climate change & GIS
- 2008-2010 - University of Tehran, Iran. MSc in Physics of Soil, Soil Erosion and Conservation
- 2003-2007 - University of Guilan, Iran, BSc in Soil Science
Lead Principal Investigator:
- Unveiling Climate Vulnerability of Qatari Plants => QRDI Council | AUD 1,108,300 | 2025–2028
- Preserving Qatar’s Ecosystem: A Strategic Approach to Common Myna Bird Control => Ministry of Environment and Climate Change | AUD 773,300 | 2025–2027
- Advancing Qatar’s Environmental Sustainability => Qatar University | AUD 123,050 | 2024–2026
- Enhancing Undergraduate Research Capabilities => QRDI Council | AUD 45,000 | 2024
Principal Investigator:
- Promoting Global Scientific Collaboration => FAPEMIG (Brazil) | AUD 663,000 | 2024–2027
- Exploring the Genetic Diversity of Qatari Native Plants => Qatar University | AUD 123,050 | 2025–2027
- Systematic Assessment of Qatar’s Vertebrates Biodiversity => MECC | AUD 2,468,300 | 2025–2027
Honours and Awards
- Named among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier (2022–2024)
- Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Early Career Researchers, Flinders University (2019)
– Includes AUD 2,500 research grant - Chancellor’s Doctoral Research Medal, University of New England (2016)
- International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS), University of New England
- Keith and Dorothy Mackay Travelling Scholarship, University of New England
– AUD 3,000 for international research activities
I hold the position of Assistant Professor in environmental science, environmental modeling, and climate change impacts. My role encompasses a significant teaching load, catering to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. I teach a range of courses, including Basic Ecology (BIOL 221), Earth System (BIOL 501), GIS and Databases (BIOL 502), Earth System Modeling (BIOL 617), Geospatial Methods (BIOL 613) and Advanced Graduate Seminar (BIOL 600).
Academic Editor: Journal of Biogeography: link — PeerJ: link — Ecology and Evolution: link
I served as a grant reviewer for the prestigious Marsden Fund Council of New Zealand in 2019, contributing to the evaluation of high-impact research proposals.
In addition, I regularly serve as an ad-hoc reviewer for numerous leading journals, such as Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Science of the Total Environment, Environmental Pollution, Journal of Environmental Management, Habitat International, Climate Services, Geomorphology, Field Crops Research, Journal of Hydrology, Scientific Reports, and PLOS ONE. My peer review contributions support the advancement of rigorous scientific standards across multiple disciplines.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
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