Biodiversity, Bilbies and Battling Extinction

Human activity is dramatically changing the biodiversity of our planet, with over one million species currently under threat of extinction. As this crisis deepens, science is turning to technological solutions to assess the ever-increasing impacts of humanity on the natural world.

Over the past decade, the development of genomic tools for conservation management has rapidly accelerated. Once considered a ‘nice to have’, genetic data is fast becoming an essential tool for managing threatened species. However, due to the complexity of the field, easily using this data for decision-making and monitoring remains beyond the reach of most managers and conservation biologists.

In May 2020, Professor Carolyn Hogg launched the Threatened Species Initiative, a program designed to generate genomic resources for Australia’s threatened species and upskill the conservation community in genetic literacy and the use of new technologies for management actions.

Carolyn will use case studies of the bilby and Tasmanian devil to highlight her systematic approach to integrating genomics into species recovery through large collaborations of different scientific disciplines, government agencies, conservation organisations and ‘big tech’ companies.

Join Professor Carolyn Hogg when she presents, ‘Biodiversity, Bilbies and Battling Extinction’.

About the Speaker

Professor Carolyn Hogg

Carolyn is a conservation biologist who has been working with threatened species for over 25 years both in Australia and overseas.

Carolyn is the Science Lead for the national Threatened Species Initiative, Deputy Director of the Sydney Environment Institute and co-leader of the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, both at the University of Sydney.

For the past 14 years, Carolyn has worked closely with government agencies and the conservation sector on how genomic technology can aid conservation efforts for some of Australia’s most threatened species.

Through partnerships with both her academic and conservation colleagues Carolyn has developed better tools and technologies to integrate research data into real-time conservation management actions.

Host or Publisher Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer