Nicola Thomas

Dr Nicola Thomas is an applied economist with expertise in agricultural and environmental economics. Her work integrates economic and biophysical principles to address complex issues such as climate risk, biodiversity loss, sustainable land use, and decarbonisation. She has led and contributed to high-impact projects for government and industry, including studies on soil health, water market reform, emissions modelling, and infrastructure resilience. Her PhD at Monash University examined the economic impacts of climate variability on dryland agriculture, generating policy-relevant insights into soil productivity and crop yield dynamics.

Nicola has a strong record of multidisciplinary collaboration, working alongside hydrologists, ecologists, engineers, and policy analysts across multiple consulting and academic projects.  She contributed to national and state-level reports on bushfire mitigation, water policy, and First Nations engagement in natural resource management. Her economic modelling and stakeholder engagement skills have informed evidence-based policy and investment decisions.

In academia, Nicola is an experienced lecturer and subject coordinator, having taught undergraduate and postgraduate students across a range of disciplines. She has convened core business and economics subjects including Business Economics and Macroeconomics, where she integrates real-world case studies and active learning strategies to build students’ analytical and critical thinking capabilities.

Nicola brings a unique blend of academic rigour, practical problem-solving, and strong communication skills. She is passionate about advancing sustainable and equitable outcomes in agricultural systems and rural communities, and continues to work across sectors to bridge the gap between research, teaching, and policy.