Sarah A. Vollert | Lightnews

Sarah Vollert

@sarahvollert.bsky.social

340 followers 290 following 12 posts

PhD candidate at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane || Applied mathematics + Bayesian statistics + Ecology/Biology || Looking for postdoc positions

Videos

Environmental science 67%

Geography 17%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Ana S. L. Rodrigues, Kate J. Helmstedt, Sarah A. Vollert

Matthew Holden 🏳️‍🌈 @matthholden.bsky.social · Jul 16

Job alert: 2.75 -3 yr postdoc in Mathematical ecology/epidemiology or Decision Sci at the University of Queensland on the value of information for decisions with @hugepossum.bsky.social @katehelmstedt.bsky.social Katriona Shea & myself #MathSky 🌍 uq.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/uqcareers/jo... please share

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Mathematical Ecology and Environmental Decision Science

School of Mathematics and Physics Full-time, fixed-term position for up to 2 years and 9 months with the possibility up to 3 years, depending on funding availability. Base salary will be in the range ...

uq.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Mar 27

This picture is such an accurate representation of me trying to make sense of my own research.

Thanks for hosting me @uq-cbcs.bsky.social, I had a blast!

UQ Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science @uq-cbcs.bsky.social · Mar 25

A big thank you to QUT PhD candidate Sarah Vollert for presenting at our seminar yesterday.

If you're interested in attending our next seminar, get in touch here: bit.ly/CBCSseminars

Reposted by Sarah A. Vollert

UQ Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation Science @uq-cbcs.bsky.social · Mar 25

A big thank you to QUT PhD candidate Sarah Vollert for presenting at our seminar yesterday.

If you're interested in attending our next seminar, get in touch here: bit.ly/CBCSseminars

Reposted by Sarah A. Vollert

Luz V. Pascal @luzvpascal.bsky.social · Mar 21

Very excited to share my most recent paper on calibrating models of ecosystem networks. Featuring: @sarahvollert.bsky.social, Malyon Bimler, Chris Baker, Maude Vernet, Stefano Canessa, Chris Drovandi, @matthew-p-adams.bsky.social
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

EEMtoolbox: A user‐friendly R package for flexible ensemble ecosystem modelling

Forecasting ecosystem changes due to disturbances or conservation interventions is essential to improve ecosystem management and anticipate unintended consequences of conservation decisions. Mathe...

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Feb 4

Really interesting talk by @taces.bsky.social on how we should be selecting protected areas knowing that our environment is changing #anziam2025

Disclosure: I love any talk with penguin pics 🐧

Reposted by Sarah A. Vollert

scottwilliamf.bsky.social @scottwilliamf.bsky.social · Feb 3

Stoked to have a cover photo for @ecography.bsky.social! In our paper doi.org/10.1111/ecog... we included temporal dynamics into SSFs, resulting in daily patterns of movement and habitat selection.
Simulating gave us dynamic spatial predictions across the landscape.
Code! github.com/swforrest/dy...

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Feb 2

I know! @matthras.bsky.social, I wanted to see yours too :(

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Feb 2

Thanks @matthholden.bsky.social! The good thing about being the first talk of a conference is that everyone thinks it’s the best talk so far #anziam2025

Matthew Holden 🏳️‍🌈 @matthholden.bsky.social · Feb 2

In a great talk @sarahvollert.bsky.social shows us how to use approximate Bayesian computation to calibrate and fit models when there is limited or no raw data and expert elicitation #anziam2025

Reposted by Sarah A. Vollert

Matthew Holden 🏳️‍🌈 @matthholden.bsky.social · Feb 2

In a great talk @sarahvollert.bsky.social shows us how to use approximate Bayesian computation to calibrate and fit models when there is limited or no raw data and expert elicitation #anziam2025

Reposted by Ghislain Vieilledent, Sarah A. Vollert

iBartomeus @ibartomeus.bsky.social · Jan 29

100 years with the Lotka-Volterra equation... let's celebrate!

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Jan 20

Math enviro conferences are wild because one minute you’ll chat with someone about how Nemo comically misrepresented the East Australian Current, and the next you’re learning that hot showers are killing the planet (hot water systems make up 10% of Australia’s energy consumption!)

You Mean GIF

ALT: You Mean GIF

media.tenor.com

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Jan 7

Thanks @benrosenbaum.bsky.social! You’re right, there’s so much more that could be done with this specific dataset, but we’d rarely be able to do it for the ecosystems we’re interested in

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Jan 6

Thanks @cranders.bsky.social - already flagging this as my favourite post for 2025

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Jan 6

Our new paper shows that generalised ecosystem population models are tragically bad at predicting conservation outcomes: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1... @cailanjs.bsky.social

Did we miss something? Is this impossible to predict? What does this mean for conservation planning?

Calibrated Ecosystem Models Cannot Predict the Consequences of Conservation Management Decisions

This study evaluates ecosystem models calibrated to time series data from experimental microcosms. Although multiple parameter sets fit the data well, the models fail to predict future dynamics, resp...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Reposted by Sarah A. Vollert

SMB - Society for Mathematical Biology @smbmathbiology.bsky.social · Dec 30

New #BulletinMathBio paper by Sarah A. Vollert, Christopher Drovandi, and Matthew P. Adams on Ecosystem Knowledge Should Replace Coexistence and Stability Assumptions in Ecological Network Modelling.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
🧪

Ecosystem Knowledge Should Replace Coexistence and Stability Assumptions in Ecological Network Modelling - Bulletin of Mathematical Biology

Quantitative population modelling is an invaluable tool for identifying the cascading effects of conservation on an ecosystem. When population data from monitoring programs is not available, determini...

link.springer.com

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Dec 30

Thanks Grant!

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Dec 30

How are we tackling it?

This paper argues that these assumptions are inappropriate for conservation planning and downplays the risk of extinction. Instead, we show how ecological field knowledge can replace those assumptions and could lead to more realistic model predictions.

Sarah Vollert @sarahvollert.bsky.social · Dec 30

So what's the problem?

Ecosystem models are often used to aid conservation decision making, to help quantify the risks, and assess the probability of success. BUT, these models are frequently built on the assumption that an ecosystem with naturally tend towards a coexisting balance of species.

Reposted by Sarah A. Vollert

Kate Helmstedt @katehelmstedt.bsky.social · Dec 19

We're hosting our fourth annual 'Environmental Modelling for Better Predictions and Decisions' symposium at QUT on 20-21 January. It's in-person only, always fun, and free! We focus on ECR/student presentations, networking, and panels. I always learn heaps and meet lots of researchers. Register now

2025 AMEG Symposium: Environmental modelling for better predictions and decisions

Dates: January 20-21, 2025 (optional HDR workshop on January 22) Location: In person at QUT Gardens Point campus Cost: FREE (food included) Contact us at: [email protected] The QUT Applied Math...

docs.google.com

Reposted by Karen A. Kidd, Belinda Gallardo, Kelly Diamond , and 4 more Karen A. Kidd, Belinda Gallardo, Kelly Diamond, Simona Imperio, Inês S. Martins, Alexander Cotrina-Sánchez, Sarah A. Vollert

Meghie Rodrigues @meghier.bsky.social · Nov 26

Thank you so much to whoever put this very comprehensive list of #science Bsky starter packs together. This is just amazing: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Starter packs

BIOLOGY General Science community https://go.bsky.app/HVYAMEA Research Institutions in Life Sciences https://go.bsky.app/LxXpcvJ LGBTQIA+ in STEM https://go.bsky.app/BFc4wgf LGBTQIA+ in STEM 2 h...

docs.google.com

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