Kit Prendergast

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Dr Kit Prendergast, also known as The Bee Babette, is a native bee ecologist, taxonomist, and science communicator. She completed her PhD at Curtin University under a Forrest Research Foundation Scholarship, with her thesis 'Urban native bee assemblages and the impact of the introduced European honeybee on plant-pollinator networks in the southwest Australian biodiversity hotspot.' She has conducted hundreds of surveys across the country, filling the gaps in our understanding of native bee biodiversity, what flowers they forage on, and where and when they occur, so that we can practice evidence-based management of our precious pollinators and their habitat. She is also an expert on bee hotels. She has a flair for scicomm, and has spoken at events, schools, and to communities across the country. She has discovered a new species of rare native bee, Leioproctus zephyr, which she named after her dog. She runs the facebook group 'The Buzz on Wild Bees', and has a YouTube channel 'The Bee Babette', and has written the book 'Creating a Haven for Native Bees.' 

Email Address: kitprendergast21@gmail.com

Current Area of Interest/Research: Pollination, native bees, ecology, bees, biodiversity, conservation

Qualifications: PhD, BSc (First Class Honors), BA

Barbara Cook

/ Albany/
 
Dr Barbara Cook, BSc PhD Cape Town

Dr Barbara Cook, BSc PhD Cape Town

 

Key research

Biodiversity and systematics, conservation, freshwater ecology

Email address: barbara.cook@uwa.edu.au

Phone: 9842 0837

Acting Director/IWC Associate Professor in Restoration Ecology

Institution

Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management

Areas of Interest and Experience

Barbara Cook has extensive experience in the collection, analysis and interpretation of river and wetland biological and biodiversity data in Western Australia, especially in the South Coast and South West Natural Resource Management regions. She has published over 100 papers, book chapters, reports and conference presentations on various aspects of the ecology of rivers and the biology and genetics of in-stream fauna. She is currently engaged in several projects which involve the determination of the ecological character of Western Australian waterways and wetlands. She is presently investigating the ecological values of South Coast rivers in partnership with the Western Australian Department of Water. Barbara also has extensive experience in researching the systematics and biogeography of selected components of biodiversity.

Caitlin Jackson

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BSc Agriculture

BSc Agriculture

Summary of Research Interests

Caitlin completed a bachelor degree of Agricultural Science in 2004 at the University of Melbourne. After university, Caitlin worked for the Department of Primary Industries Victoria for six years in various roles including Pest Management Officer in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Tenements Officer and Community Engagement Project Officer at Spring Street, Melbourne. In 2012, a survey company called ThinkSpatial provided Caitlin the opportunity to become qualified as a flight controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle (Sensefly eBee) for aerial survey and aerial photography purposes. The training to become qualified included undertaking a private pilot's course (theory only) and an aircraft radio Certificate of Proficiency course. The key aerial photography project she has been involved in is the Esperance Port Access Corridor project.

David Bennett

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Dr David Bennett - BSc (Agric Hons) London 1956, PhD (Science) London 1968

Dr David Bennett - BSc (Agric Hons) London 1956, PhD (Science) London 1968

Summary of research interests

The role of politics and economics in Natural Resource Management. Most of the problems that David has helped to resolve are where human activities are having serious impacts on climate, land and/or water.

Institution

Retired, but involved in the Mathematicians in Schools Project at Little Grove Primary School

Short biography

David has been working on natural resource problems since 1961. After twenty years of research for CSIRO, he was the Wesfarmers Professor of Rural Management for Curtin University and, as well, worked on rural issues for the Western Australian Government. He established his own company NRMC Pty Ltd Natural Resources Management Consultants in 1986, but has also devoted a lot of his time to voluntary activities mainly within the conservation movement.

Geraldine Janicke

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BSc (Environmental Science)

BSc (Environmental Science)

Institution

Private Consultant

Geraldine and her husband Steve are a partnership consultancy in Waterways Assessment & Environmental Investigations. Geraldine has ten years experience an associate researcher for the CENRM (UWA) in the field of aquatic ecology. She has considerable experience and a broad knowledge of riparian and aquatic flora and aquatic fauna of both fresh and saline waterway systems on the south coast of Western Australia. She has hands on experience in the on ground management of projects for both consultancy and academia and has experience in applying the “Framework for prioritising waterways for management in Western Australia” developed in the Great Southern.

Louise Duxbury

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Dr Louise Duxbury - PhD (Science and Technology Policy)

Dr Louise Duxbury - PhD (Science and Technology Policy)

Institution

Green Skills

Current area of interest

Socio Economic profile of the South Coast region and vulnerability and capacity to adapt to climate change. How can NRM bodies work with individuals and communities to elicit greater levels of behaviour change to achieve landscape and community sustainability?

Michael Simpson

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msimpson.jpg

Areas of Scientific Interests

Micheal Simpson has lived in Albany all his life. In his work as a Cultural Connections Project Officer for SCNRM he does a lot of on-the-ground work including weed eradication, seed collection, fencing and revegetation, and has also worked with an archaeologist doing cultural surveys and mapping. Michael is a Noongar man, very proud of his culture and heritage and passionate about working with the aboriginal community. He has assisted with cultural workshops and represented SCNRM at school events to create awareness of cultural values and educate youth about aboriginal history. Michael left school for an opportunity to study Conservation and Land Management. He loves being out in the bush, so why not work in it? He hopes to complete his Certificate 4 in Conservation and Land Management in 2015..

Peter Speldewinde

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Dr Peter Speldewinde - BSc (hons) PhD (UWA)

Dr Peter Speldewinde - BSc (hons) PhD (UWA)

Key research

  • Impacts of ecosystem degradation on human health

  • Ecology and conservation of Australian native rodents

Email address: peter.speldewinde@uwa.edu.au

Phone: 9842 0845

IWC Lecturer in Restoration Ecology

Institution

Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management

Areas of Interest and Experience

Dr Peter Speldewinde worked for many years in the field of conservation biology, implementing recovery plans and translocation proposals for threatened species. After working in the field of landcare for a number of years Peter did his PhD at the University of Western Australia, examining the impacts of dryland salinity on human health. He is currently involved in coordinating the honours year for the 'Restoration Ecology' degree and a unit in the International Water Centre's Master of Integrated Water Management. His research interest is the effects of ecosystem health on human health and he maintains an interest in Australian native rodents.

Simon Clarendon

/ Albany/
Diploma Horticulture and Bachlor of Environmental Science

Diploma Horticulture and Bachlor of Environmental Science

Summary of research interests

Simon completed Diploma of Horticulture in 2000 and Bachelor of Environmental Science 2005. He worked at University of Melbourne as a research assistant in forestry and tree health and has undertaken projects at Department of Agriculture Western Australia looking at acid sulfate soils on the south coast of Western Australia and alternative lime products to change pH. He moved across to the University of Western Australia, based in Albany, developing a computer model to follow phosphorus movement through dairy farms to determine the effect of best management practices (for reducing phosphorus loss from the farm) at a catchment level. Simon is currently enrolled in a PhD through CENRM, UWA, Albany, looking at factors regulating phosphorus in drains and streams in sandy agricultural catchments in southwestern Australia, using locations in the Wilson Inlet and Oyster Harbour catchments as his study sites.