Morteza Chalak is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Western Australia. He received his PhD in Environmental Economics from Wageningen University in the Netherlands in February 2009. His PhD thesis was on the economics of invasive species and one of his thesis focus area was the control of Californian thistle in New Zealand. He visited Massey University in New Zealand to collaborate with the researchers and obtain necessary data for his PhD thesis.

Since completing his PhD, Morteza has been employed by the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy at the University of Western Australia. Morteza is interested in addressing policy relevant questions in regard to natural resource problems. His research provides decision makers with cost-effective strategies for sustainable management of natural resources. His main focus of research is on the economics of invasive species management.

This includes analysing and integrating economic and biological aspects of invasive species infestations and control. Morteza's other research area and interests are water management, biodiversity and spatially-explicit bioeconomic modelling. He has published 7 research articles in peer-reviewed journals. His main publications are on applied economics addressing environmental and agricultural problems.