26 November 2025
Using game theory to understand cooperation and guide environmental decisions
Maria Kleshnina’s journey from Siberia to Brisbane has been driven by a single question: “How can we motivate people to make better decisions for the planet?” As a mathematician and game theorist, Maria uses equations to explore the dynamics of social behaviour, evolution, and environmental decision-making.
Her research applies evolutionary game theory to real-world challenges, from encouraging sustainable practices to managing ecosystems under pressure. By modelling how individuals interact and adapt, Maria’s work helps predict outcomes in everything from microbial competition to conservation policy, analysing the most effective ways to design environmental action to increase the likelihood of individual, community, and policymaker participation in sustainable decision making.
Now a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology and recipient of a prestigious ARC DECRA Fellowship, Maria is developing mathematical tools to improve environmental decisions in the face of strategic and evolutionary feedback. Her work has been published in leading journals including Nature Communications and PNAS and recognised with awards such as the Tom Vincent Best Paper Award and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Seal of Excellence.
Maria is also a passionate advocate for women in mathematics, mentoring through WIMSIG and speaking at schools and outreach events.