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Science, Technology and Engineering |
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School of Life SciencesDepartment of Environmental Management & EcologyProfiles of past and present students
I completed the first 3 years of my Bachelor of Science at La Trobe University, Bundoora (Melbourne) during the 1990s, with majors in Botany and Zoology. In 1994 I was awarded the A.B. Wardrop Prize for highest mark in 3rd year Botany. In 1997 I was awarded a place on the Dean’s Honours List in recognition of academic achievement for that year and received the Dean’s Commendation in 1991, 1992 and 1994.
In 1996 I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Ecology at la Trobe University. I chose this course because it covered all aspects of Environmental Management and Ecology, allowing me to choose a profession as an Ecologist or an Environmental Manager. The highlights of the course were definitely the field trips to Phillip Island, Mount Buffalo and field trip to the Beechworth area (Wooragee). I enjoyed the subjects of The Origin and Evolution of Australia's Biota, Conservation Ecology/Biology and Environmental Law. In 2000 I completed the Honours component of the degree, investigating the movement of nutrients from dryland and irrigated dairy farms in North East Victoria. My supervisor was Dr Percival Thomas. My Honours project and the subjects covered throughout my undergraduate years, has helped me in my current profession as Northern Mallee Landcare Facilitator with the Department of Primary Industries in the Mildura district. I have three Landcare groups (1 dryland, 2 irrigated) covering an area of 500,000ha stretching from the Murray River to the North and East of the state, across to the South Australian/Victorian border and down to Murray-Sunset National Park. Some of the Landcare issues are wind erosion, soil health, biodiversity and native vegetation loss and water quality, health and availability. I have been in my current role for the past 1½ years and find it challenging yet rewarding, especially when your NHT bids are successful.
I commenced my studies in 2003, finished my undergraduate course in 2005, and began honours mid-year of 2006. I chose this course because of the high standard of expertise available in the department, the interactive nature of the field trips and practical classes, and the enthusiasm of the lecturers and students I talked to before beginning the course. This degree allowed me to experience such a wide range of environments, organisms, and perspectives. I especially loved studying the rock pools of Phillip Island, and being able to feed the giraffes and pet the baby white rhinoceros at Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo. I am currently undertaking my honours year, with Dr. Phil Suter as one of my supervisors. I also am fortunate enough to have Dr. Darren Baldwin and Dr. Gavin Rees from the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre as supervisors. I am looking at how wetting and drying cycles affect microbial community structure, using DNA-based methods. This is an understudied field of research, and I hope to add to the current knowledge base through the collaboration of expertise of La Trobe University, Wodonga, and the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre. During my undergraduate course, I was honoured to receive such awards as The Norske Skog best first year prize, The North East Catchment Management best third year prize, a place on the Dean’s Honours list for 2004 and 2005, and the Dean’s Medal 2005. Through the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, I was also very fortunate in being the 2006 recipient of the TJ Hillman Honours Educational Prize, which included a cash component of $5000. Through completing the degree offered at La Trobe University, Wodonga, I have made important and lasting relationships, learnt about and experienced a diverse range of ecological situations, and formed connections with organisations such as the Department of Primary Industries, Rutherglen Centre, and the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre. I have really enjoyed my time at La Trobe so far, and hope for the good times to continue through honours and beyond.
In 1998 I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management & Ecology. I decided on this course as it involved a broad and interesting subject range, covering marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems. The highlight of the course was definitely the field trips e.g. Mount Buffalo, Phillip Island and the Dubbo Zoo. Staff were also happy to give students the opportunity to be involved with their research. I was able to work on Flinders Island with Dr Catherine Meathrel researching Short-Tailed Shearwaters and the endangered Pacific Gull. I completed my honours component of the degree in 2001, investigating the taxonomy of an endangered stonefly endemic to the Bogong High Plains, under the supervision of Dr Phillip Suter. During my undergraduate studies I received the 'Learning City of Wodonga' award and was accepted into the Golden Key International Honour Society for academic achievement. In 2002 I received an Australian Postgraduate Scholarship to undertake my PhD on 'The ecology and systematics of the Australian Eustheiidae (stoneflies) and the implications of climate change on their conservation status' under the supervision of Dr Phillip Suter. This project will involve the use of genetic techniques to evaluate the implications of climate change on their conservation status. I plan to complete my PhD studies part time as I now have full time employment as the Regional Environmental Officer for the Department of Defence in the Riverina Murray Valley Region.
After high school I travelled around Australia for a while and then settled working as a fitter making truck parts in Melbourne. After a few years I decided to return to study and completed an Aquatic Science degree from Deakin, Warrnambool. I then enrolled at La Trobe University to undertake honours working with Dr Gerry Closs on the habitat use and diet of two species of Blackfish in Tallangatta Creek. I am now undertaking my masters, with a view to upgrade to a PhD, part time working on determining the Health of the Lachlan River with Dr Phillip Suter. This research project has been supported by the National Heritages Trust and the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation. I am also working at La Trobe University as a part time research assistant. My academic experiences at La Trobe University Albury-Wodonga have been rewarding with staff in the Department of Environmental Management & Ecology most willing to give encouragement and support and the Department has also made studying easier by providing resources for my research, such as University vehicles.
After completing the first year of a Bachelor of Biological Sciences at LTU Bundoora, I decided to transfer to the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Ecology at Wodonga. The smaller campus with smaller class sizes and friendly staff appealed to me. I undertook honours in 1999. I examined the climbing performance of small dasyurid marsupials. My supervisors were Cath Meathrel and Peter Pridmore. The highlights were the handling and filming of small mammal climbing performance in labs at Mt Buller and LTU Bundoora, and presenting a poster at the Australian Mammal Society conference. I am now in Perth completing the final stages of my PhD at Murdoch University (submitting in September 2003). I've been researching the effects of fire on the Honey Possum in the Fitzgerald River National Park. I also work part-time as an Animal Welfare Worker at Murdoch University. Completing honours at LTU helped me get an APA scholarship to further my studies, and the 'hands-on' experience provided me with animal trapping and habitat assessment skills that I needed to do my PhD. The staff at LTU were great; very supportive, fun and friendly (and smart too!).
I commenced the three-year Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Ecology in 2002 with the intention of transferring to the Bundoora campus to complete an animal science degree. However, during the first year of study I became more interested in the subjects offered within the course and decided to complete the degree at the Albury-Wodonga campus. I have enjoyed the outdoors and have had a strong interest in native wildlife and also in pest control, which this course provided a strong pathway to become further involved in managing these in the future. Whilst many degrees are theoretical, this course was hands on and provided practical knowledge and experience, and the support and expertise provided by the lecturers was second to none. As a result, lectures were interesting and the practicals were exciting whilst also providing important knowledge and experience. At the end of my three-year degree I decided that I wanted to become involved in pest management related research. This decision led to me undertaking my honours research at the beginning of 2005. My honours research was focused on the "factors influencing the frequency and intensity of wild dog attacks on livestock within eastern Victoria " and was conducted under the supervision of Dr Peter Pridmore and with help from Dr Warren Paul. There were many highlights during my honours research including travelling with local wild dog control officers whilst trapping wild dogs in the North Eastern region of Victoria , learning a wide range of skills, and providing information that will be used to make wild dog control within Victoria more effective into the future. Throughout my studies I received the Albury/Wodonga campus medal for outstanding contributions to the community, was offered membership into the Golden Key International Honour Society, and was placed on the deans honour role for academic achievement. I am currently working for the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment in Wodonga as a GIS Support Officer, which was made possible mainly through my experience achieved through my honours research and also through the contacts and friends I made throughout my studies. The knowledge and skills obtained through my studies at La Trobe University, Wodonga, have prepared me for a wide range of career options and uncovered many personal goals for the future.
I commenced the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management & Ecology in 2000. Numerous reasons led me to attend La Trobe Universities Albury-Wodonga Campus, including the course being offered locally, with a broad course content including biology, chemistry, geography, waste management, sustainability and conservation. The small student to lecturer ratios results in the lecturers knowing us as individuals and provides the best possible opportunities to fulfil our aspirations. The highlight of the course was work placement. I worked at the Australian Antarctic Division, Hobart in the Environmental Management Audit Unit on five projects assessing the likely environmental effects of proposed Antarctic programs. This invaluable experience enabled me to network with nationally and internationally recognised scientist and will assist me to fulfil my ultimate dream of working in Antarctica. The lecturers at La Trobe University are practising scientists and I was privileged to assist Dr Catherine Meathrel in the long-term study of Short-tailed Shearwaters on Flinders Island. During my undergraduate studies I received the Hamilton-Smith Rotary Scholarship for Environmental Studies and the Australian Association of Natural Resource Management Prize. In 2003, I was the recipient of a La Trobe University Honours year grant. This will assist in the undertaking of my honours on Foraging of the endemic Pacific Gull and the effect of vegetation around the nests, has on fledging rate. This project is under the supervision of Dr Catherine Meathrel and will be undertaken in the Furneaux Group.
In 1997, as a mature aged indigenous student and mother of three I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management & Ecology, La Trobe Wodonga. I found the on-campus childcare centre great and being within walking distance of Wodonga TAFE meant that I could still visit the Koori Unit for a chat. The course was varied and challenging but what I really enjoyed were the excursions and day trips. We stayed at the base of Mt Buffalo and did field work in this unique alpine environment; we visited Phillip Island and experienced marine/coastal fieldwork; and we went to Dubbo and seen the practicalities of managing the Dubbo Zoo. The day trips were also great for getting lots of hand-on experience out in the real world. We visited Werribee Waste Water Treatment and observed the artificial wetlands; collected macroinvertbrates from local wetlands and identified them on site; and conducted vegetative surveys and water sampling near Mitta. In 1997 I received the David Mant Memorial Prize Wodonga Rotary Club and in 1998 was accepted into the Golden Key International Honour Society for academic achievement. After the completion of my Degree in Environmental Management and Ecology at La Trobe Wodonga and a five year break ( to add two more children to my family and do some work) I was keen to extend my practical knowledge in chemistry and get in some laboratory experience, so I applied to do Honours in the Ecochemistry Laboratory at the University of Canberra. So, in 2004, under the supervision of Professor William Maher I conducted research on the effect of fire on the decomposition of fire affected Eucalyptus viminalis leaves in a freshwater ecosystem. In 2005 I received the Australian Water Association Postgraduate Award ( Canberra ). In 2006 I enrolled in the PhD course at La Trobe Wodonga. Under the supervision of Dr Susan Lawler I will be "Investigating the source of arsenic contamination in the Bogong Moth and the impacts on the ecology of the Australian alps ".
I began the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Ecology course in 1996 after careful comparisons with other degrees. I chose this course because of its focus on freshwater and terrestrial ecology, two areas that I had been interested in for many years. A highlight of my time at university (apart from the nightlife!) was the many field trips we undertook, which allowed valuable hands-on experience to be gained. After completing my undergraduate degree, I began an honours project with Dr Peter Pridmore studying the burst swimming performances of three native fish species. During this time I was lucky enough to work with several other specialists in the fisheries field, and was able to present my work at an Australian Society for Fish Biology conference in Bendigo. On the completion of my honours, I was offered a job working with the Freshwater Ecology Section of the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, where I have ow been working for three years. During this time I been able to work on many research projects, including the effects of cold-water releases from dams on native fishes, river rehabilitation through resnagging, wetland prioritisation for management, the effects of fire on freshwater fishes, and projects involving endangered native fish species including trout cod, Macquarie perch and Murray hardyhead. I have also been lucky enough to be able to present results from some of these projects at conferences at far-flung locations such as Cairns (QLD) and Wellington (New Zealand). I believe that the wide variety of skills and knowledge that I obtained during my time at Latrobe Wodonga have enabled me to tackle a range of topics with a great degree of confidence.
I received an Australian Postgraduate Scholarship to undertake my PhD on the "Development of an index of biotic integrity for the grassy woodlands of the NSW South West Slopes". I commenced
I chose this course because I was interested in environmental science and continuing my studies across the river from Albury my home town appealed to me. I commenced my degree at La Trobe University Wodonga campus in 2000 and finished my undergraduate course early 2004. The lecturers were passionate and showed a high level of expertise and knowledge which they imparted to us students with great care. I commenced honours mid-year 2004, my honours consisted of trying to work out the number of species in a cryptic genus of mayflies Coloburiscoides. I used genetic, morphological and ecological techniques. Honours was a steep learning curve and well worth the effort as it has provided me with many skills that I have taken with me into my workplace along with the knowledge that I could perform well under pressure. In May 2006 I commenced employment as Natural Resource and Policy Analyst with Murray Irrigation, Deniliquin. In this position I was required to manage several projects (e.g. wetlands watering), co-ordinate conferences as well as liaise with farmers and stakeholders on a range of issues. In April 2007 I took up a position with The Murray-Darling Freshwater Research centre as their Community Scientist. This position was very broad ranging from presentations to the public and community to co-ordinating several projects. I have had the opportunity to work with fish, frogs, turtles, vegetation and water quality. There is nothing better then being able to wake-up in the morning and go to a job you love. This broad range of experience has allowed me to realise my passion in fish research and in January 2009 I took up a position with NSW Fisheries Research Division. My degree with La Trobe University allowed me to develop a wide range of skills and a broad base of knowledge that I have taken with me into my professional life. This has helped me to perform various duties in the different positions I have held. I have also developed lasting friendships with fellow students and lecturers, as well as important contacts. I would recommend this course to anyone who has a passion for the outdoors and its inhabitants.
I commenced my studies of Environmental Management and Ecology in 1997, the course chosen due to the variety of subjects making up the degree- including ecology, resource management and waste management/pollution control areas. The practical learning involving field trips was definitely the highlight of the course, the major field trips being Mt. Buffalo and Phillip Island. The smaller, local trips were also of great benefit to reinforce theory. As the Environmental Management and Ecology course consisted of a small group of students we were all able to benefit from the availability of lecturers and their willingness to provide extra assistance if and when required. My studies at La Trobe gave me the starting point required to gain practical experience in the workplace, followed by further opportunities for professional development.
I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management & Ecology in 1999. This course appealed to me because I have always had an inquisitive mind, and enjoy working outdoors. Highlights of the course included the small class sizes, friendly departmental staff and highly relevant course work. The field trips were great too (e.g. Mt Buffalo, Phillip Island ), and were important in providing a strong practical element to the course. During my undergraduate studies I received the 'Norse Skog first year' award and was accepted into the Golden Key International Honour Society for academic achievement. Over 2003/2004, I completed an Honours year under the supervision of Dr Phil Suter, and looked at the effects of the 2003 bushfires on the water quality and aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages of alpine Sphagnum peatlands on the Bogong High Plains. Although very challenging, Honours was highly enjoyable and provided me with the inspiration to become more involved in freshwater ecology. As a result, I am currently undertaking a PhD on the influence of planktivorous fish on zooplankton dynamics in slackwater patches of the Broken River , under the supervision of Dr Daryl Nielsen (MDFRC), Dr Terry Hillman (LTU), and Dr Phil Suter (LTU). I moved from Sydney in 1996 to study at La Trobe University's Wodonga campus. What attracted me to what was at the time a small regional campus was the diverse subject base of the course and also the small student/teacher ratios. The latter allows for great student/teacher interaction, and I found the lecturers more than willing to help at almost any time. The location of the campus offers the opportunity to study a wide range of environmental conditions, from paper mills and sewage treatment works to snowline vegetation and undisturbed streams. The course also offers opportunities for excellence, with awards for achievement in both first and second years, both of which I received. I completed my Honours in 1999, investigating the interactions of Diatoms, nutrients and groundwater in the Rose River, under the supervision of Dr Phil Suter. The Honours component of the Degree allowed me to put the previous years' learning into practice, and tested my abilities as a researcher. In short, the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Ecology is a very practical course with many opportunities to study environmental conditions in the field, but with a sound base in theory. It is complemented by a well-run department and quality staff.
I commenced my studies in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management & Ecology in 1999. The course sounded interesting and the smaller class sizes appealed to me as I thought there would be a better student lecturer interaction. The highlights of studying the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management & Ecology were the field trips e.g. Mt Buffalo, Dubbo Zoo and Phillip Island. I completed my undergraduate degree after undertaking honours in 2002, working on the 'Effects of Grazing on the Physico-Chemistry and Biota in Dams Associated with Travelling Stock Reserves in Southern NSW'. The sampling for my honours was a journey in itself. Every time I went 'bush' there was always something happening me that would keep on my toes. I've sampled in mud up to my armpits, cow poo up to my waist, done it in torrential rain. Though some days are sunny and just perfect. I won an Erudition prize in 2002 to publish work from this honours project. I was also awarded an Australian Postgraduate Scholarship to undertake my PhD, which I commenced in 2003, on the 'Quantification of Ecological Benefits Associated with Wetland Rehabilitation along the Murray River Floodplain' with Dr Phillip Suter, Professor Terry Hillman and Keith Ward. Content Approved by: Head of Department
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Ms Rose Barrett 
Ms Amy Boulding 
Ms Cassandra Bryce
Mr Craig Hamilton 
