Emily was raised in the suburbs of upstate New York where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and psychology (2001–2005). After a few years of teaching outdoor education, she completed a Master’s degree in disease ecology (Michigan State University, USA, 2008–2011) and a Ph.D. in disease ecology and epidemiology at the University of South Australia in Adelaide (2012–2016). Since joining UTAS in 2016, Emily’s research first shifted to understanding the diversity of environmental microbiomes to a current focus on how better connections among humans and the environment can help create healthy and sustainable communities. She co-leads the ‘sustainable people–environment interactions’ research theme of the National Environmental Science Program’s ‘Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub’. She is also an Associate Investigator in the Healthy Environments and Lives Network, which seeks to make healthcare more equitable, sustainable and resilient to environmental change. Emily also teaches in the Sustainability space. She developed and coordinated Backyard Biodiversity in the Diploma for Sustainable Living for several years. Emily developed UTAS’s first major in sustainability, and co-teaches the capstone unit, Change Agents in Sustainability, and coordinates a first-year unit on People, Places and Nature in the geography department. Emily has co-founded two not-for-profit science communication organisations and Tasmania’s Inspiring Women in STEMM Fellowship Program.