Who We Are

Professor Ladiges is the past Head of the School of Botany, and currently a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne. She has a wide interest in the diversity and evolution of the Australian flora and is best known for her research work on the phylogeny and biogeography of the eucalypts. She has published more than 130 scientific papers, is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, and recipient of the Royal Society of Victoria’s Research Medal. She has co-authored and co-edited three award-winning biology textbooks for Australian secondary and tertiary education.

Andrew Vizard is a Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne and former Director of the University’s Mackinnon Project, which specialises in agricultural research, education and extension. He is also an experienced company director, having served on the board of numerous listed companies, statutory bodies, and scientific organisations. Andrew is currently Chair of The Vizard Foundation.

Stephen Sarre is Emeritus Professor in Wildlife Genetics at the University of Canberra and former Director of the Institute for Applied Ecology. His research is centred on genetic and ecological aspects of wildlife with a focus on the application of molecular techniques to wildlife management and conservation. Stephen has been involved in numerous wildlife projects of national significance including the program to eradicate foxes in Tasmania and leading the Education Program for the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre. He has published more than 100 scientific papers and has supervised many Masters and PhD students.

Rick has extensive international experience across fisheries, aquatic management and more recently pastoral land management, including strategic direction, policy development, funding and research project delivery. He was previously Executive Director of Fisheries and Agriculture Resource Management for the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, responsible for the assessment and management of WA’s aquatic and terrestrial resources. Rick has led a number of national initiatives including the development and implementation of risk-based, ‘ecosystem approaches’ for fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Australia and for managing the vast rangelands areas of WA. Rick also regularly works with international agencies including the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop practical systems for fisheries management within developing countries and for areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Craig Moritz is an Emeritus Professor at Australia National University and former Director of the Research School of Biology, ANU and Director of the joint ANU-CSIRO Centre for Biodiversity Analysis. A Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and an ARC Fellow Laureate, Professor Moritz is internationally recognised for his outstanding research contributions to evolutionary biology, particularly concerning speciation and biogeography. Although his research is primarily based in natural populations, he has repeatedly developed new statistical and molecular methods, and developed approaches to improve our ability to conserve communities, populations, and species.

Emeritus Professor Gleadow is a plant biologist at Monash University where she led the Plant Ecophysiology group from many years. She is interested in how plants detect and respond to the environment, including the animals that depend on them. Her research is on the impacts of climate change on plant composition and food security, with a focus on plants that make cyanide. She has published more than 100 scientific papers and is an internationally acclaimed science communicator and educator. She is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, past-President of the Global Plant Council and also of The Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Andrew Bennett is Emeritus Professor in Ecology at La Trobe University and previously the Director of the University’s Research Centre for Future Landscapes. He has also held a Science Leadership role at the Arthur Rylah Institute, Victoria.  He has broad interests in landscape ecology and conservation biology, with a particular focus on understanding how human land-use and landscape change affect native wildlife and ecological processes. Six-month study periods in Canada (Carleton University, 1989), Britain (Monks Wood, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology 2000) and USA (Harvard University, 2012) have been formative experiences in understanding international perspectives on land-use, nature conservation and cultural influences on landscapes.