Environmental Influence
Lifelong friendships forged in fieldwork: IAE alumni celebrate 20 years of impact, collaboration and knowledge-sharing
The University of Canberra’s Institute for Applied Ecology (IAE) celebrates two decades of impact this year – and what a wild ride (pun intended) it has been!
From the tireless conservation work for grassland earless dragons, smoky mice and green and golden bell frogs – to name a few – to the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect invasive khapra beetles that would threaten Australian crops, to research into better urban and suburban water resource management for ACT and surrounds, as well as the extensive work in the Murray-Darling Basin … IAE scientists have clocked 20 years of impact, looking for ways to better understand the environment and affect it for the better.
Read more about the IAE’s 20th anniversary in this 海角社区 News story.
Anchored by its two Centres, the Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genetics (CCEG) and the Centre for Applied Water Science (CAWS), the IAE has grown from strength to strength, attracting a cumulative total of $58 million in research funding and publishing hundreds of papers.
But while solid science is its mainstay, the strength of the IAE lies in its people – the close-knit band of researchers from various disciplines and backgrounds, bound by a common vision, along with their many industry, government and community partners.
“The IAE has graduated and inspired hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate students, some who stay with 海角社区, and some who have moved all over the world – and that’s really powerful,” says Associate Dean, Research Professor Fiona Dyer.
“It’s such a great joy when alumni come up to you and say ‘I don’t know if you remember me, but I was in your class ... and ‘remember when you made us do those conceptual models we complained about? Well, I made my [now] colleagues do them too, and they helped us find a new perspective!’”
Read on for the fond memories and well wishes of a few IAE alumni, as they celebrate the spirit of new perspectives, collaboration and knowledge-sharing that lies at the heart of the Institute.
Dr Catriona Campbell
Threatened Species Officer, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
“I started with the IAE in 2013 as a PhD candidate, working with Professor Stephen Sarre on a collaborative project with the Invasive Animals CRC and the Invasive Species Branch of the Tasmanian Government.
The amount of knowledge and the vast network of colleagues that I gathered during my time with the IAE was extensive, and has led to my current employment where I find myself in my dream job – which I didn’t actually think existed when I used to talk about what I wanted to do post-PhD!
I have continued to work with Stephen and other IAE staff such as Professor Bernd Gruber, through an ongoing Adjunct position with 海角社区, on applied research that is changing the way we can monitor threatened species and improve management of those species and their habitat.
Highlights from my time at the IAE inlcude the massive amounts of learning, making several long-term friends who are still important in my life, and the four months I spent in Tasmania conducting field work. The number of places we visited, and the amount of untouched private land we walked on have provided me with memories and stories I hope stay with me for the rest of my life.
I guess my main message would be a thank you to everyone I worked with or gained help from within the IAE, for helping me gain so much knowledge and confidence in myself so that I can now sit here in my dream job and feel like I know what I am doing. I’d particularly like to thank Stephen.”
Dr Evan Harrison
Kaiwhakahaere M膩ramatanga / Manager, Knowledge
Te Pane Matua Taiao/Greater Wellington Regional Council, New Zealand
“The IAE has had a massive influence on my career in Applied Science.
First as a student, and then running freshwater science consulting projects for government agencies, it was really the kickstart for the next stage in my career in Aotearoa New Zealand.
My training and work experience at the IAE helped me land a role as a Senior Freshwater Scientist at the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment for a couple of years.
Since 2018, I have worked at Greater Wellington Regional Council in freshwater science, and am now a Manager for the Knowledge Unit, where I lead applied scientists, engineers and evaluation specialists who support environmental management decisions.
The influence of fantastic mentors such as the late Emeritus Professor Richard Norris, Professor Fiona Dyer and Professor Ross Thompson at the IAE definitely set me up for where I am now.
The IAE was always a fun place to work/learn and I'm still friends with many people who are still working there. Canberra will always be home for me, so I make sure I stay in touch with people there.
I have to say, 20 years is a massive achievement – great work team!
Ka rawe!”
Dr Jonas Bylemans
Postdoctoral Researcher
INRAe UMR CARRTEL, Centre Alpin de Recherche sur les R茅seaux Trophiques et les Ecosyst猫mes Limniques, France
“It has been seven years since I left the IAE, after having completed my PhD there.
I still remember leaving for Canberra during the European winter months, and being hit immediately with an Australian heatwave on arrival. While the weather was warm, so was my welcome at the IAE.
I still carry warm memories from my five years at the IAE of all the moments/shenanigans shared with the doctoral students, the guidance and discussions of my supervisory team and all IAE colleagues.
The interactions within the IAE have been critical for further developing my scientific curiosity and rigour. I hope to return sometime soon, for some Friday morning sausage rolls and a Friday arvo beer (or two)!”
Dr Kristoffer H. Wild
Postdoctoral Researcher
School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Victoria
“Congratulations on 20 years, IAE!
The IAE showed me what a supportive, ambitious research community can look like, and I’m grateful for the opportunities and mentorship I received. I hope future students keep benefitting from that culture of curiosity, collaboration and applied impact – it really does change careers and, ultimately, conservation outcomes.
The Institute gave me the support and freedom to grow into a confident researcher.
During my PhD, I was surrounded by supervisors and peers who pushed me to ask bigger questions, while also building practical skills. This ranged from experimental design to research and science communication. Working in an applied, cross-disciplinary space still shapes how I tackle conservation problems today.
Some of my favourite memories are the everyday moments: office chats over coffee, late afternoons troubleshooting analyses, and celebrating each other’s milestones (and maybe chatting about research problems over beers).
Field trips and HDR retreats also stand out – they built friendships that have lasted well beyond my PhD. I left the IAE with collaborators and mentors I still work with today.”
Dr Matt Jeromson
Postdoctoral Researcher in Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) Paleo Ice Sheet History
Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra
“The Institute for Applied Ecology has allowed me to pursue the work I enjoy for eight and a half years.
In that time, I have completed a PhD, conducted fieldwork in Australia and Antarctica, and fostered international and local collaborations.
The work I have done, with the support of the IAE, has been published in high quality journals and presented at international conferences. I have made friends and colleagues that I expect to keep for life.
One of my favourite memories is from my first year as a PhD student. I – along with a band of other PhD students – made a film for our friend who was fast approaching their submission date, a screening of which was given at the Institute. To have made such good friends, so quickly, is a testament to how welcoming the IAE is.
Being a part of the Institute has been a huge part of my development as a scientist. I have enjoyed every minute, and I want to thank all the colleagues, friends, mentors, and support staff who have made my time here such a positive experience.”
Dr Phil Pearson
Research Coordinator
Centre for Applied Water Science (CAWS), Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra
“The IAE has provided substantial impact on my life and career.
In 2018, I secured a scholarship to pursue my PhD with the IAE and moved 15,000km from my home in rural Alabama in the United States – and I haven’t looked back.
I’ve made life-long friendships and connections through my work at the institute, and I have incredible memories of fieldwork throughout central Australia, collecting data for my doctorate.
I branched out from academic research to pursue research management in another faculty, but I’ve recently had the opportunity to return to the institute as a research manager.
There are too many great memories at the IAE to count – and I am still making them. Though I think my most significant memories all relate to my extended fieldwork at Bowra Sanctuary near Cunnamulla, Queensland. There were so many good times had, and dragons (Central Bearded Dragons), caught and tracked. Without the support of the IAE, and my supervisors in particular, I wouldn’t have such an opportunity.
So much good research and so many great researchers have come from the IAE! It’s been an honour to be a part of its history, and to help plan the 20th anniversary celebration. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for it.”
Dr Tuti Hartati Siregar
Researcher
Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional RI (BRIN RI) Research Services, Indonesia
“I completed my PhD at the IAE with a focus on marine ecology and chemistry, during a time when chemistry played an integral role within my research group.
The independence my supervisors entrusted to me from the very beginning was unfamiliar culturally, and I initially struggled to know when or how to seek help. Over time, however, I came to understand that this independence was shaping my strengths, revealing my weaknesses, and guiding me through the inevitable highs and lows of the research journey. I always knew that when I needed direction, my supervisors were there to support me and help me find my way forward.
The freedom to explore, combined with a clear sense of purpose, became exactly what I needed for my career. As an early-career researcher, the skills I now rely on – drafting research proposals, building collaborations, and managing projects – were foundations laid during my candidature at the IAE.
What I fondly miss: the morning teas and Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) sessions, where I first learned to articulate research ideas, present my findings with confidence, and prepare a compelling CV for my future path.
Happy Anniversary, IAE. May you continue to excel as a leading institute in applied ecology and grow even stronger in the years ahead.”
Words by Suzanne Lazaroo, photos supplied.