Francis is an evolutionary biologist and plant systematist, interested in macroevolutionary patterns and processes across different scales in time and space. Francis’ main research interests include understanding the drivers and mechanisms that have resulted in the uneven distribution of earth’s biodiversity across the Tree of Life. Particularly, he is interested in region-specific diversification dynamics, and understanding the origins and evolution of the Australian flora, as well as tropical rainforest systems.

He engages in interdisciplinary research, and incorporates different approaches across the fields of evolutionary biology, systematics, taxonomy, biogeography, ecology, and physiology to address fundamental questions of biology. 

Francis completed his PhD degree (2021) at the University of Adelaide, as part of Michelle Waycott's lab and in association with the State Herbarium of South Australia. In this role, Francis had a research interest in the macro-evolution and systematics of the Australian flora including a selected focus on plant-traits evolution, phylogenomics, biogeography, and phylogeography. His research in plant systematics focuses on a broad range of taxonomic plant groups including Proteaceae, Myrtaceae, and Rhamnaceae.

Francis still maintain active and ongoing research collaborative links with colleagues at the University of Adelaide and State Herbarium of South Australia.

Francis is currently a Systematic Botanist Research Scientist at the National Herbarium of New South Wales, in the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Australia.