Byron Lamont

Four-year degree in agricultural science from the University of Western Australia, then Masters and PhD in botany (root systems of Australian plants), then Doctor of Science based on 75 published papers on ecology and ecophysiology of mediterranean floras. Became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2010.

Joined Curtin University (then WAIT) as Lecturer in biology in 1974. Appointed to a Personal Chair in plant ecology in 1996 and was Director of Curtin's Centre for Ecosystem Diversity and Dynamics in 2008-10.

Have published over 400 papers and reviews on plant ecology, biogeography, evolutionary ecology, population dynamics and genetics, and ecophysiology, focussing on the unique flora of southwestern Australia. Main interests are fire ecology, plant responses to poor soils and drought, plant evolution in response to fire and drought, patterns and processes in species-rich shrublands, herbivory, pollination, species migration, and conservation of rare flora.

Was listed in the top 0.03% for publication impacts among 7 million researchers in 2019.

Fifth most highly cited researcher among the 23,000 researchers who published papers about fire in the period 2012 to 2022. Received Wright Lifetime Achievement Award from the international Association of Fire Ecology in 2022.