Personal profile
Research interests
Dr Penny Wurm is an applied plant ecologist with a research practice that includes ecological, agricultural and livelihood applications in northern Australia, eastern Indonesia and Timor Leste. I hold a Bachelor of Science (Hons) and PhD (Ecology). Research on the values and ecology of native Australian rices has led to investigations into the development of enterprises based on native rice - in collaboration with Dr Sean Bellairs at CDU, two CRCs, an Aboriginal enterprise and Territory agencies. Knowledge of the ecology and values of native rices, has also led to investigation of threats posed by invasive species, including invasive grasses to native rices. My student supervision includes projects on invasive species on disturbed sites and monsoonal wetlands, cashew horticulture in Timor Leste, irrigated rice systems in eastern Indonesian and soon in Timor Leste, and commercialisation of native species for Aboriginal enterprises, currently Kakadu Plum and native rices.
I have teaching collaborations with Indonesian colleagues, focussed on rural livelihoods, in eastern Indonesia. Collaboratively, I have developed and taught two Indonesian field intensives, in partnership with Indonesian university colleagues. I am passionate about teaching and have won three national and one institutional team teaching awards, and have served an Associate Dean of Learning and Teaching at the College level.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, The population ecology of Oryza meridionalis Ng on the South Alligator River floodplain, Kakadu National Park, monsoonal Australia, Charles Darwin University (CDU)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 15 Life on Land
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Catchment Hydrology in the Wet Dry Tropics – what are the drivers of spring yield variability in East Sumba, Indonesia?
Wurm, P. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A) & Godwin, P. (Student Investigator)
2/02/15 → 14/04/25
Project: HDR Project › PhD
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Commercialisation of native rice for Indigenous enterprise development: Agronomy and value-adding
Bellairs, S. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Wurm, P. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Hoang, T. M. L. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B) & Klaric, S. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A)
1/04/20 → 30/06/25
Project: Research
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CRC NPB Deed of Release and Variation #1 Development and delivery of nationally coordinated postgraduate courses in plant biology.
Wurm, P. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A)
28/01/10 → 30/06/18
Project: Research
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Evaluation of livelihood zones, rural household trajectories, research and development partners and initiatives in Timor Leste
Stacey, N. (Associate Investigator), Vial, L. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Wurm, P. (Associate Investigator) & McWilliam, A. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B)
13/05/22 → 30/06/24
Project: Research
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Increasing on-farm labour productivity for sustainable production, nutrition and inclusive livelihood gains in Timor-Leste
Wurm, P. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Vial, L. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Xu, S. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B) & Penrose, B. (Chief Investigator C)
1/07/24 → 30/06/28
Project: Research
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PBCRC4004 Advancing Collaborative Knowledge Systems for Plant Biosecurity Surveillance
Wallace, R. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Wurm, P. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B) & Brennan, L. (Project Manager)
1/11/12 → 10/02/17
Project: Research
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PBCRC4140 Knowledge transfer and uptake of new practices for pest management in irrigated rice
Wurm, P. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A) & Myers, B. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B)
1/09/14 → 12/09/17
Project: Research
Research output
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Success criteria: sustainable efficacy in Australian farmer groups
Mckenzie, D. K., Joyce, J., Zander, K. K., Wurm, P. A. S. & Caudwell, K. M., Apr 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension. p. 1-23 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
File5 Downloads (Pure) -
Screening of High-value Vegetable Species under Fortified Biochar Soil Treatments
da Costa Guterres, A., Wurm, P. & Williams, R. L., Dec 2025, In: Hortscience. 60, 12, p. 2395-2408 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Detecting groundwater dependence and woody vegetation restoration with NDVI and moisture trend analyses in an Indonesian karst savanna
Godwin, P., Tian, S., Duvert, C., Wurm, P., Riwu Kaho, N. & Edwards, A., 23 Aug 2024, In: Frontiers in Remote Sensing. 5, p. 1-17 17 p., 1280712.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)82 Downloads (Pure) -
Eastern Australian Farmers Managing and Thinking Differently: Innovative Adaptation Cycles
McKenzie, D. K., Joyce, J., Zander, K. K., Wurm, P. A. S. & Caudwell, K. M., Jan 2024, In: Environmental Management. 73, 1, p. 51-66 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)141 Downloads (Pure) -
The human and financial costs of conservation for local communities living around the Greater Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania
Kegamba, J. J., Sangha, K. K., Wurm, P. A. S., Meitamei, J. L., Tiotem, L. G. & Garnett, S. T., Aug 2024, In: Global Ecology and Conservation. 52, p. 1-18 18 p., e02974.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile16 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)123 Downloads (Pure) -
The influence of conservation policies and legislations on communities in Tanzania
Kegamba, J. J., Sangha, K. K., Wurm, P. A. S., Kideghesho, J. R. & Garnett, S. T., Sept 2024, In: Biodiversity and Conservation. 33, 11, p. 3147-3170 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)79 Downloads (Pure) -
Aboriginal Community Views about a Native Plant-Based Enterprise Development in Northern Australia
Gorman, J., Ennis, G., Wurm, P., Bentivoglio, M. & Brady, C., May 2023, In: Land. 12, 5, p. 1-16 1096.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)189 Downloads (Pure)
Press/Media
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Research in the Area of Sustainability Research Reported from Charles Darwin University (Aboriginal Community Views about a Native Plant-Based Enterprise Development in Northern Australia)
Wurm, P. & Ennis, G.
7/06/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
Activities
- 1 Membership of network
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Australian Endeavour Alumni (External organisation)
Wurm, P. (Chair)
2000 → …Activity: Membership › Membership of network
Prizes
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National Carrick Institute Citation: An engaging, flexible postgraduate program, focusing on tropical Australia and building skills and understandings for regional Professionals in authentic learning contexts.
Wurm, P. (Recipient), Mcguinness, K. (Recipient), Hutley, L. B. (Recipient), Pearson, D. (Recipient) & Setterfield, S. (Recipient), 2006
Prize
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CDU Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning: The Eastern Indonesian Field Intensive (EIFI), a cross-cultural multi-disciplinary international field experience that deepens learning, regionalises student perspectives and creates exciting employment and further study opportunities.
Wurm, P. (Recipient), Myers, B. (Recipient), Fisher, R. (Recipient), Pickering, S. (Recipient) & Harkness, P. L. (Recipient), 2015
Prize
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Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT): Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning: Authentic and situated learning for environmental science students: a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary field intensive in remote rural eastern Indonesia.
Wurm, P. (Recipient), Myers, B. (Recipient), Fisher, R. (Recipient), Pickering, S. (Recipient) & Harkness, P. L. (Recipient), 2018
Prize: Honorary award
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Australian Award for University Teaching: Citation for outstanding contribution to student Learning: For developing innovative resources that make visible and clearly communicate the university’s procedures and expectations around student academic integrity to the university community.
Reedy, A. (Recipient), Janssen, A. (Recipient), Wurm, P. (Recipient) & Lockley, A. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Honorary award
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ASCILITE Award for Education Design and Technology: Exemplary use of electronic technologies in teaching and learning in higher education
Wurm, P. (Recipient) & Parr, K. (Recipient), 2005
Prize
Thesis
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The population ecology of Oryza meridionalis Ng on the South Alligator River floodplain, Kakadu National Park, monsoonal Australia
Wurm, P. (Author), Rea, N. (Supervisor), Dec 1998Student thesis: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - CDU
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