Dr. Malcolm S. Johnson

Geographer, Ecologist, Eel advocate

Linkedin profile

UTAS researcher profile

Researchgate profile

ORCID profile

Professional Experience

  • Huon Valley Council (Tasmania, AUS)

    October 2024 to Present

    Responsible for the management of the Environmental team, including Natural Resource Management, Climate Change, and Waste education.

    Previously Principal Climate Change

    December 2023 to October 2024

    Responsible for the development and implementation of the council’s climate change priorities, including mitigation measures, adaptation planning, and residence strategizing

  • University of Tasmania, School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences (TAS, AUS)

    February 2020 to December 2024

    Lecture - responsible for delivering weekly lectures for the following units:

    KGA704 - Profesional Research Practice (2021-2023)

    XBR102 - Developing your Creative and Entrepreneurial Potential (2022-2023)

    Previous work as Tutor and Marker:

    Tutor - worked closely to deliver workshop content for the following units:

    KGA223 - Environmental Management (2021-2022)

    KGA172 - Nature, People, Place (2022)

    KGA703 - Professional Research Methods (2021)

    KGA171 - Global Geographies of Change (2020-2021)

    Marker - marked assignments for the following units:

    KGA171 - Global Geographies of Change (2020-2021)

    XBR102 - Developing your Creative and Entrepreneurial Potential (2021)

  • NOAA, NSU, and the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (Rota, CNMI)

    February 2017 to January 2020 (3 years)

    Employed on the small island of Rota to work on watershed conservation and restoration

    Developed an integrated watershed management plan for the Talakhaya Watershed that included cultural relevancies, restoration activities, and support for local landowners and watershed users

    Engaged in weekly sampling techniques of both water quality and visual assessments, gathered first-ever GIS data of streams, managed yearly revegetation of savannah/badlands areas, conducted quarterly community workshops in addition to surveys and interviews with residents and tourists

  • United States Peace Corps (Guimaras, Philippines)

    July 2015 to January 2017 (1 year, 7 months)

    Worked in the Municipal Agriculture Office with a focus on coastal resources and coral reef conservation

    Prepared a 100-page integrated coastal resource management plan to be implemented at all levels of the local government based on research conducted in the Municipality

    Conducted regular MPA monitoring and evaluation that included transect walks, SCUBA assessments, data sampling/entry, and preparation of reports for MPA MEAT scoring, in addition to assisting with coral reef restoration projects in neighboring municipalities

  • Echo Hill Outdoor School (Worton, MD)

    August 2014 – June 2015 (10 months)

    Taught students from 1st to 12th grade in a variety of courses including: swamp studies, bay studies, adventure course work, survival, and many other courses in tribes sizes of about 10-12

    Slept in tents while students were on campus in addition to maintaining various responsibilities for a residential learning experience; including developing lesson plans and engaging with diverse cultures

    Responsible for maintaining campus sustainability programs, including composting, gardening, and maintenance of facilities through construction, plumbing, and electrical work

Education

  • University of Tasmania (TAS, AUS)

    February 2020 - February 2024

    Funded by the CoSE Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship and the American Australian Association Graduate Education Scholarship

    Supervisors: A/Prof. Vanessa M. Adams and Prof. Jason Byrne

    Thesis: Changing Coastalscapes: Advancing methods to support local climate adaptation

  • Middlebury Institute of International Studies (CA, USA)

    August 2012 - July 2014

    Focus in Coastal Resource Management

    Thesis (voluntary): Castles, Knowledge, and Change: A Comparative Study of Biocultural Resilience and Coastal Adaptation between the Colonized Islands of the Philippines and Puerto Rico

    Awarded the Center of the Blue Economy summer research fellowship and 1st place on the Wicked Water Challenge: Solving Monterey’s Freshwater Crisis

    Elected Student Council President and oversaw a $90,000 budget

  • Wichita State University (KS, USA)

    August 2008 - June 2012

    Magna cum laude

    WSU Rowing Team Captain, Golden Key International Honour Society member, Dean's Scholars, Emory Lindquist Honors Program member

    Awarded 2012 Senior Honor Man, the most prestigious award at WSU

  • Sea Education Association (MA, USA & various locations)

    October 2011 - January 2012

    Deployed scientific equipment, analyzed samples, and prepared data for a research project that investigated the impact of acidification on the calcium carbonate shells of Thecosomata

    Acted as a deckhand aboard the vessel, gained familiarity with scientific sailing methodology, and learned about various conservation and restoration projects in the Caribbean.

Publications

  • Johnson, M. S., Adams, V. M., & Byrne, J. A. (2024). Understanding how landscape value and climate risk discourses can improve adaptation planning: insights from q-method. Environmental Science &Amp; Policy, 162, 103947. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103947

  • Johnson, M. S., Adams, V. M., & Byrne, J. (2024). Enhancing climate adaptation: Integrating place-based risk perceptions and coastalscape values using Q+PPGIS. Landscape and Urban Planning, 252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105197

  • Johnson, M. S., Adams, V. M., & Byrne, J. (2023). Addressing fraudulent responses in online surveys: Insights from a web-based participatory mapping study. People and Nature, 00, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10557

  • Johnson, M.S., Jones, C.A., Harwood, A., Prahalad, V.N., Davison, A. (2023). Encountering Sustainable Development Goal SDG13, Climate Justice, and Emotions While Role-Playing an International Forum on Climate Change-Induced Migration. In: Beasy, K., Smith, C., Watson, J. (eds) Education and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Education for Sustainability, vol 7. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3802-5_21

  • Davidson, J., Jones, C., Johnson, M.S., Yildiz, D., & Prahalad, V. (2023). Renewing the purpose of geography education: Eco-anxiety, powerful knowledge, and pathways for transformation. Geographical Research, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12603

  • Johnson, M.S. (2022). Misan Ánimasan Åsuli: field notes and conversations from the Talakhaya Watershed, Luta. In Burrell, A. & Bunts-Anderson, K. (Eds.), A Marianas Mosaic (pp. 363-380). Proa Publications.

  • Johnson, M.S., Adams, V.M., Byrne, J., & Harris, R.M.B. (2022). The benefits of Q + PPGIS for coupled human-natural systems research: A systematic review. Ambio 51, 1819–1836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01709-z

  • Johnson, M.S. (2021). Poetic carpentry: conducting immersive geography of spectral landscapes. In Colles, E., Eastwood, D., Lehmann, C., & Thomas, P. (Eds.), Dark Eden. Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne: Art + Australia. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.16993378.v2

  • Pickering, C., Johnson, M.S., Byrne, J. (2021). Using Systematic Quantitative Literature Reviews for Urban Analysis. In Baum, S. (Eds.), Methods in Urban Analysis. Cities Research Series. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1677-8_3

  • [Lead author] CNMI Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality (BECQ) – Division of Coastal Resources Management (DCRM). (2020). Talakhaya Integrated Watershed Management Plan (TWMP). Prepared for the CNMI Division of Coastal Resources Management, CNMI Office of the Governor. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16342.98887/1

Conferences & Presentations

  • “Managing divergent community expectations on climate change: a local government case study” presentation at the Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) annual conference (July 2024)

  • “Searching for the eel song: lutruwita’s anguillid imaginaries” presentation at the Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) annual conference (July 2024)

  • "Understanding divergent and convergent discourses on climate risk perspectives and landscape values in Huon Valley, Tasmania" presentation at the Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) annual conference (July 2023)

  • "Conversations On Eco-Anxiety: Collaborative Writing As A Tool For Reflection And Action In Geography" group presentation at the IAG annual conference (July 2023)

  • "Anguillid spectres of lutruwita" presentation at Haunted Shores: Aquatic Surfaces & Depths (April 2023) - Link to presentation

  • "Could youth ecoanxiety be the catalyst that resuscitates geographical education?" group presentation at the Australian Geography Teachers Association meeting (September 2022)

  • "Encounters with fraud in online incentive-based surveys" presentation at the Centre for Marine Socioecology’s annual event (July 2022)

  • "Anguilla spp.: Freshwater mystery on the verge of collapse?" group presentation to the School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences (May 2022)

  • "Consensus, values, framing: New approaches to illustrate perceptions of climate change" presentation at the IAG annual conference (July 2021)

  • "Misan Ánimasan Åsuli: an anguillid story on the spectrality of maps and archipelagos​" presentation at ISISA Islands of the World annual conference XVII (June 2021)

  • "Changing Coastalscapes" Confirmation of Candidature presentation at GPSS (February 2021)

  • "Poetic carpentry: conducting immersive geography of spectral landscapes" presentation at Dark Eden: Transdisciplinary Imaging Conference (November 2020)

Outreach & volunteering

  • Curious Climate Schools contributing scientist (2021-Present)

  • Organizing committee for Tasmanian Climate Change Symposium (November 2023)

  • Roving scientist at Beaker Street Festival (August 2023)

  • CMS Student Representative (2021-2022)

  • Huon Valley Council Natural Resource Management Plan Steering Committee (2021-2023)

  • President of the GPSS post-graduate society (2022-2023)

Peer review experience

  • Ambio

  • Australian Geographer

  • Biological Conservation

  • Ethics & Behavior