Courtney is a Research Fellow with CoralWatch at The University of Queensland, specialising in citizen science, biodiversity conservation, and human–environment interactions.
She supports a global citizen science program that tracks coral bleaching and reef health, working with schools, tourism operators, and community groups worldwide. She focuses on ensuring the program delivers high-quality environmental data while strengthening scientific literacy and fostering meaningful connections between people and the natural world.
Courtney also has extensive experience in tropical conservation, including research in sustainable palm oil production and biodiversity protection. This work has highlighted gaps between policy intent and on-ground outcomes, demonstrating the need for clearer metrics, stronger accountability, and improved implementation strategies.
Availability
Dr Courtney Morgans is:
Available for supervision
Qualifications
Associate Fellow, Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Academy
Research interests
Evidence based conservation
Courtney’s research examines how conservation strategies perform in real-world contexts, particularly where multiple stakeholders, competing objectives, and limited resources shape outcomes. She uses interdisciplinary approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and identify ways to optimise their impact.
Natural selection in novel environments: predation selects for background matching in the body colour of a land fish
Morgans, Courtney L. and Ord, Terry J. (2013). Natural selection in novel environments: predation selects for background matching in the body colour of a land fish. Animal Behaviour, 86 (6), 1241-1249. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.09.027
