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PhD (University of Queensland), Bachelor of Science with Honours Class Honours Class 1 (University of Queensland), Bachelor of Science (University of Queensland)
A/Prof Kate Helmstedt's research is focused on developing mathematical and data science methods to help understand and protect ecosystems and species. Her work draws upon expertise in operations research, decision science, mathematical modelling, and mathematical ecology. She leads the QUT Applied Mathematical Ecology Group (AMEG), a group of around 30 academics, postdocs, and students using mathematics and data science to tackle questions about ecological systems.
A/Prof Helmstedt leads question-driven research that is aimed at solving real, urgent ecological management problems. She works on threatened ecosystems including Antarctica, Great Barrier Reef, and areas where biodiversity is under threat from agriculture and land clearing.
She has expertise across research, leadership, and innovative teaching. She is a passionate advocate for women in STEM and diversity, equity, and inclusion in mathematics.
Prospective Honours, MPhil, and PhD students who are interested in applying mathematical modelling, operations research, or data science to ecosystem protection questions are encouraged to contact A/Prof Helmstedt -- especially those from groups traditionally underrepresented in mathematics. There are opportunities for competitive funding for domestic and international students through university schemes and targetted project funding.
Additional information
Dr Helmstedt collaborates with diverse groups of scientists including mathematicians, statisticians, economists, ecologists, biologists, agricultural and marine scientists. These collaborative networks span Australia and internationally across the US, Europe, and the UK.
She works with end-users and stakeholders from the Australian Antarctic Division, Office of the Great Barrier Reef, Qld Department of Environment and Science, CSIRO, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, and Australian Institute for Marine Science.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2022
- Details
- Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2021
- Details
- Rising Star Science Award
- Mayfield, H., Eberhard, R., Baker, C., Baresi, U., Bode, M., Coggan, A., Dean, A., Deane, F., Hamman, E., Jarvis, D., Loechel, B., Taylor, B., Stevens, L., Vella, K. & Helmstedt, K. (2023). Designing an expert-led Bayesian network to understand interactions between policy instruments for adoption of eco-friendly farming practices. Environmental Science and Policy, 141, 11–22. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/237533
- Lippmann, R., Helmstedt, K., Gibbs, M. & Corry, P. (2023). Optimizing facility location, sizing, and growth time for a cultivated resource: A case study in coral aquaculture. PLoS ONE, 18(3). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/238884
- Dean, A., Eberhard, R., Baresi, U., Coggan, A., Deane, F., Hamman, E., Helmstedt, K., Loechel, B., Jarvis, D., Mayfield, H., Stevens, L., Taylor, B. & Vella, K. (2023). Scrutinizing the impact of policy instruments on adoption of agricultural conservation practices using Bayesian expert models. Conservation Letters, 16(6). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/244590
- Bergstrom, D., Wienecke, B., Hoff, J., Hughes, L., Lindenmayer, D., Ainsworth, T., Baker, C., Bland, L., Bowman, D., Brooks, S., Canadell, J., Constable, A., Dafforn, K., Depledge, M., Dickson, C., Duke, N., Helmstedt, K., Holz, A., Johnson, C., Mcgeoch, M., Melbourne-thomas, J., Morgain, R., Nicholson, E., Prober, S., Raymond, B., Ritchie, E., Robinson, S., Ruthrof, K., Setterfield, S., Sgrò, C., Stark, J., Travers, T., Trebilco, R., Ward, D., Wardle, G., Williams, K., Zylstra, P. & Shaw, J. (2021). Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic. Global Change Biology, 27(9), 1692–1703. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208300
- Holloway-Brown, J., Helmstedt, K. & Mengersen, K. (2021). Interpolating missing land cover data using stochastic spatial random forests for improved change detection. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 7(4), 649–665. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/229031
- Holden, M., Adams, M., Sisson, S., Helmstedt, K., Baker, C., Plein, M., Holloway, J., Mengersen, K. & Mcdonald-Madden, E. (2020). Informing management decisions for ecological networks, using dynamic models calibrated to noisy time-series data. Ecology Letters, 23(4), 607–619. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/136700
- Anthony, K., Helmstedt, K., Bay, L., Fidelman, P., Hussey, K., Lundgren, P., Mead, D., Mcleod, I., Mumby, P., Newlands, M., Schaffelke, B., Wilson, K. & Hardisty, P. (2020). Interventions to help coral reefs under global change-A complex decision challenge. PLoS ONE, 15(8). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/204766
- Holloway, J., Helmstedt, K., Mengersen, K. & Schmidt, M. (2019). A decision tree approach for spatially interpolating missing land cover data and classifying satellite images. Remote Sensing, 11(15), 1–25. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/131852
- McDonald, J., Helmstedt, K., Bode, M., Coutts, S., Mcdonald-Madden, E. & Possingham, H. (2018). Improving private land conservation with outcome-based biodiversity payments. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55(3), 1476–1485. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/223340
- Helmstedt, K., Stokes-Draut, J., Larsen, A. & Potts, M. (2018). Innovating at the food, water, and energy interface. Journal of Environmental Management, 209, 17–22. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/223434
- Title
- Mathematically Optimal Rand D for Coral Reef Conservation
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DE200101791
- Start year
- 2020
- Keywords
- Title
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- SR200100005
- Start year
- 2020
- Keywords
- Operations research to optimise logistical deployment of emerging reef restoration technologies
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Paul Corry, Adjunct Professor Mark Gibbs - Structure and Dynamics of Antartic Governance
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Michael Bode - Optimal management and development of new technologies to preserve endangered ecosystems in the face of uncertainty
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Matthew Adams - Biodiversity and Connectivity: The future of Antarctica's ice-free landscapes
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Justine Shaw - Data Science to Support Viticulture
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen - Modelling and Optimising Food Systems Impacts on Biodiversity, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Enable Sustainable Development
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Ayesha Tulloch - Parameter estimation and identifiability analysis of bistable ecosystems
PhD, Mentoring Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr David Warne, Dr Matthew Adams - Mathematically optimising adaptive conservation strategies in Antarctica
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Michael Bode
- Assessing the risk of marine invasive species to nearshore marine ecosystems of Australia's Antarctic research stations and subantarctic islands (2023)
- Novel Mathematical Models and Simulation Tools for Stochastic Ecosystems (2022)
- Extending Decision Tree Methods for the Analysis of Remotely Sensed Images (2021)
- Optimal Sequential Decision-Making under Uncertainty (2018)