CitSciOz21: Symposium 1
Channel: Australian Citizen Science Association
Date: 2022-05-02

1.1 Using citizen science to enable meaningful participation in bushfire recovery and preparedness
Erin Roger, Program Lead, The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA)

Erin Roger is a Program Lead for the Atlas of Living Australia (based in CSIRO Sydney) and working to align and embed citizen science within the bushfire response. The Citizen Science Program aims to deepen existing partnerships and build new collaborations, delivering a strategic approach to citizen science nationally. Erin is also the Chair of the Australian Citizen Science Association. Before delving into the citizen science space, Erin worked in climate change adaptation and has a PhD in Terrestrial Ecology. Erin also has a soft spot for wombats. 


1.2 Flora Connections: harnessing the skills of amateur flora groups for plant extinction risk assessment after fires
Rachael Gallagher, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University

Rachael is a plant ecologist and conservation biologist with an interest in species recovery following the 2019-2020 bushfire season. 


1.3 That glossy looks familiar! - Photo identification of female glossy black-cockatoos by citizen scientists
Lauren Hook-Walker, Threatened Species Officer, Department Of Planning, Industry And Environment.

Lauren Hook is an ecologist and Saving our Species, Threatened Species Officer working with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Lauren enthusiastically manages a suite of diverse threatened flora and fauna in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands. 


1.4 Environment Recovery Project: leveraging iNaturalist to understand recovery from Australian bushfires
Thomas Mesaglio, University of New South Wales

Thomas Mesaglio is a researcher at UNSW's Centre for Ecosystem Science. Most of his current research focuses on iNaturalist and other citizen science data, including analyses of data quality, project building, and developing conceptual frameworks for improving data. He is an iNaturalist curator and moderator on the iNat Forum, the Sydney organiser for the City Nature Challenge and the Great Southern BioBlitz, and has made over 166,000 identifications for other users on iNaturalist. He also recently published a comprehensive field guide, titled 'Seashells of North Haven Beach', and frequently presents how-to workshops for iNaturalist.


1.5 Wildlife Assist: optimizing the welfare outcomes for Australian wildlife after bushfires through provisioning
John Martin, Research Scientist, Taronga Conservation Society Australia

Dr. John Martin is a Research Scientist based at the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning. John’s research program is directed towards understanding the ecology of wildlife in human-dominated landscapes. This program aims to produce recommendations for land management that will lead to enhanced prospects for co-existence between wildlife and humans.

 
1.6 Bushfires on Kangaroo Island affect the gut microbiomes of echidnas
Tahlia Perry, Postdoctoral Researcher, The University Of Adelaide

Dr. Perry is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Adelaide and with the Centre for Excellence for Biodiversity and Heritage. She leads the national citizen science project, EchidnaCSI, where the public submits echidna sightings and collects echidna scats for molecular research. Dr. Perry is an award-winning scientist and science communicator with a passion for wildlife conservation and engaging the public in science.