Keep Toowoomba Cool Campaign Launch

Name: Keep Toowoomba Cool Campaign Launch
Start: 2024-10-03T18:00:00+10:00
Location: Toowoomba City Library

Schedule

Thu Oct 03 2024 at 06:00 pm

UTC+10:00

Location

Toowoomba City Library | Toowoomba, QL

Join us for the official launch of the Keep Toowoomba Cool Campaign.
We will be joined by expert guest presenters to inform us about the latest evidence and information about how we can plan our neighbourhoods and cities to be as resilient as possible in the face of increasingly hot summers.
Guest presenters confirmed so far include:
Professor Catherine Pickering, Griffith University

Professor Catherine Pickering is an expert in plant ecology, climate change, alpine ecosystems, recreation and urban ecology, protected area management, use of native plants, community gardens and using social media for conservation. She leads a large research group focusing on applied issues relating to human-nature interactions including projects and collaborations in Australia, USA, South Africa, Nepal, Bhutan, Argentina and Portugal among others. Currently she teaches in Urban Ecology and Biodiversity, Botany and Conservation Biology. She has held a range of research leadership positions including Deputy Head of School, Research, Discipline Head for Ecology and Evolution and lead HDR Convenor within the School of Environment and Science. Prof Pickering has received multiple awards for her teaching, HDR supervision and community service. This includes the 2021 Griffith University Research Excellence Award for Research Supervision, in part in recognition of the Systematic Quantitative Literature Review method used by researchers in more than 1,300 publications.
She is also the chair of the Griffith Biodiversity working group and landscape advisor for Griffith University, promoting conservation and engagement with biodiversity on Griffith University campuses. This includes the information, interactive maps and books available on the Griffith Biodiversity website. She collaborated with Natura-Pacific to produce the GroNATIVE app to promote the use of native plants in South-East Queensland with Funding from the Queensland Government. She is regularly asked to present public talks and events, and in the media regarding biodiversity and works closely with local community groups and councils promoting local biodiversity.
Her research is highly cited and used by industry, government and not for profit organisations dealing with a range of challenges from declines in snow cover in the Australian Alps, to how best to manage mountain biking in urban parks.
Deanna Borland, Energetic Communities

Deana is from Energetic Communities, a not-for-profit that is advocating for energy efficiency in homes and better urban design to cool down our suburbs. Deanna will share the pathway for renters and low-income households to also benefit from homes that are liveable through our summers as well as our winters.
Professor Melissa Haswell, Queensland University of Technology

I conduct research and teach environmental health, climate change, sustainability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health at the University of Sydney and at Queensland University of Technology. I have led many research projects and authored over 90 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of infectious disease epidemiology and control, pathogenesis and carcinogenesis associated with inflammation, toxicology, environmental health and wellbeing, climate change, HIV/AIDS prevention, psychosocial and community empowerment, mental health and social and emotional wellbeing.
Experience
2016–present
Professor, Health Safety and Environment, Queensland University of Technology
2020–present
Professor of Practice in Environmental Wellbeing, University of Sydney
2009–2016
Associate Professor, Environmental and Indigenous Health, University of New South Wales
2005–2009
Head, North Queensland Health Equalities Promotion Unit, Cairns, University of Queensland
1998–2004
Senior Lecturer, Indigenous Health Program, Brisbane and Thursday Island, University of Queensland
1996–1998
Environmental Epidemiologist, National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland
Education
1987
Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, PhD / Infectious Disease Epidemiology
1982
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MSc / Bacteriology and Immunology
1980
Hiram College, Ohio, BA /Biology