Associate Professor Rachael Nolan has two main areas of research. The first focuses on understanding how ecosystems respond to disturbance and what this means for ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, habitat values, and water resources. The second area of her research involves developing models of forest flammability by examining the dynamics of fuel loads and fuel moisture content.

She is currently the Director of the NSW Bushfire and Natural Hazards Research Centre, where she works closely with multiple universities, government agencies, and community organizations to co-design and co-deliver research that improves fire and natural hazard management in NSW.