Board members
SHAWAN CHOWDHURY - PRESIDENT
Shawan’s passion towards nature started in his childhood days when he preferred to roam around forests and open fields, surrounded by different types of vegetation layers. His interest ignited after getting admitted into the Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
From January 2014 to December 2016, Shawan investigated how butterflies survive in a mega-populated tropical inner-city habitat, Dhaka, and his findings were alarming. Dhaka is a city of more than 17 million inhabitants and thus, the existence of plants and animals is a great wonder. Unfortunately, the diversity and species richness of butterflies are sharply declining with time and there are very few to pay heed to this; as most conservationists are enthusiastic to work on the mega-fauna. However, Shawan is intrigued by how the diversity of these beautiful creatures fluctuates significantly from one season to another and from one place to the other.
During his field surveys, he noticed that insect populations including those of butterflies are shrinking throughout Bangladesh and that the decline is larger in more human populated areas. Following up this experience and interest, in his PhD at UQ, Shawan will primarily focus on the causes and consequences of butterfly migration with Prof Richard Fuller (primary supervisor) and Prof Myron Zalucki (co-supervisor).
Email: s.chowdhury@uqconnect.edu.au
School of Biological Sciences
University of Queensland
Goddard Building 8, Room# 508
Mobile: +61469842439
Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Flickr | Facebook
Shawan’s passion towards nature started in his childhood days when he preferred to roam around forests and open fields, surrounded by different types of vegetation layers. His interest ignited after getting admitted into the Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
From January 2014 to December 2016, Shawan investigated how butterflies survive in a mega-populated tropical inner-city habitat, Dhaka, and his findings were alarming. Dhaka is a city of more than 17 million inhabitants and thus, the existence of plants and animals is a great wonder. Unfortunately, the diversity and species richness of butterflies are sharply declining with time and there are very few to pay heed to this; as most conservationists are enthusiastic to work on the mega-fauna. However, Shawan is intrigued by how the diversity of these beautiful creatures fluctuates significantly from one season to another and from one place to the other.
During his field surveys, he noticed that insect populations including those of butterflies are shrinking throughout Bangladesh and that the decline is larger in more human populated areas. Following up this experience and interest, in his PhD at UQ, Shawan will primarily focus on the causes and consequences of butterfly migration with Prof Richard Fuller (primary supervisor) and Prof Myron Zalucki (co-supervisor).
Email: s.chowdhury@uqconnect.edu.au
School of Biological Sciences
University of Queensland
Goddard Building 8, Room# 508
Mobile: +61469842439
Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Flickr | Facebook
MICHELLE WARD - VICE PRESIDENT
Growing up in a small country town, Michelle has always been passionate about nature and felt sanctuary in the wilderness.
She has a strong business background and worked for several years in Turkey, Qatar and South Africa, focusing on sustainable development and waste management. Michelle has a Masters in Conservation Biology from the University of Queensland and is now completing her Ph.D. with Professor Jonathan Rhodes, Professor Hugh Possingham and Professor James Watson. Her research broadly focuses on applied conservation research that is linked directly to on-the-ground actions. More specifically, she is interested in effective reserve design, action mapping, cost-effective conservation actions, proactive planning under climatic change, understanding cumulative and interacting threats, and prioritisation strategies for managing biodiversity.
She is a volunteer for Wildcare Australia, predominately rescuing and rehabilitating native, orphaned mammals. She is an IUCN WCPA Commission Member and Vice President of the Society for Conservation Biology, Brisbane chapter. She also works as a Research Assistant for the National Environmental Science Program and for the Centre of Biodiversity and Conservation Science.
Email: m.ward@uq.edu.au
Growing up in a small country town, Michelle has always been passionate about nature and felt sanctuary in the wilderness.
She has a strong business background and worked for several years in Turkey, Qatar and South Africa, focusing on sustainable development and waste management. Michelle has a Masters in Conservation Biology from the University of Queensland and is now completing her Ph.D. with Professor Jonathan Rhodes, Professor Hugh Possingham and Professor James Watson. Her research broadly focuses on applied conservation research that is linked directly to on-the-ground actions. More specifically, she is interested in effective reserve design, action mapping, cost-effective conservation actions, proactive planning under climatic change, understanding cumulative and interacting threats, and prioritisation strategies for managing biodiversity.
She is a volunteer for Wildcare Australia, predominately rescuing and rehabilitating native, orphaned mammals. She is an IUCN WCPA Commission Member and Vice President of the Society for Conservation Biology, Brisbane chapter. She also works as a Research Assistant for the National Environmental Science Program and for the Centre of Biodiversity and Conservation Science.
Email: m.ward@uq.edu.au
EMILY MASSINGHAM - SECRETARY
Emily works towards tackling conservation issues using collaborative science, with an objective of understanding the broader political, economic and social contexts in which these issues persist. Emily's research aims to tackle great ape conservation by generating solutions that benefit both nature and people. Following a BSc in Ecology, Emily completed an honours degree examining the impact of nature experiences on conservation behaviour. Emily then worked with the United Nations Great Apes Survival Partnership and the United Nations Wildlife Unit in Nairobi, where she contributed to a host of conservation projects, grant proposals and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) National Reports. This experience fostered her passion for great ape conservation in developing countries. During her current PhD project, Emily is investigating whether orangutan conservation projects are more effective if local people are involved in an equitable way. The project examines the interplay between the ecological success of orangutan conservation projects, and various social variables, including human wellbeing benefits, community perceptions and community engagement in conservation projects. Emily has also worked on a range of conservation projects in rural and urban Australia, Cambodia, Borneo and Eastern Africa.
Emily works towards tackling conservation issues using collaborative science, with an objective of understanding the broader political, economic and social contexts in which these issues persist. Emily's research aims to tackle great ape conservation by generating solutions that benefit both nature and people. Following a BSc in Ecology, Emily completed an honours degree examining the impact of nature experiences on conservation behaviour. Emily then worked with the United Nations Great Apes Survival Partnership and the United Nations Wildlife Unit in Nairobi, where she contributed to a host of conservation projects, grant proposals and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) National Reports. This experience fostered her passion for great ape conservation in developing countries. During her current PhD project, Emily is investigating whether orangutan conservation projects are more effective if local people are involved in an equitable way. The project examines the interplay between the ecological success of orangutan conservation projects, and various social variables, including human wellbeing benefits, community perceptions and community engagement in conservation projects. Emily has also worked on a range of conservation projects in rural and urban Australia, Cambodia, Borneo and Eastern Africa.
KATHARINA VICTORIA PEREZ - TREASURER
MADELINE DAVEY - GOVERNANCE OFFICER
Maddie is completing her PhD in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Sciences under the supervision of Hugh Possingham and Carissa Klein. She is working on improving the conservation outcomes of coral reefs, using the Great Barrier Reef as her case study. Maddie is passionate about conserving Australia’s unique biodiversity, both on land and in the ocean.
Maddie is completing her PhD in the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Sciences under the supervision of Hugh Possingham and Carissa Klein. She is working on improving the conservation outcomes of coral reefs, using the Great Barrier Reef as her case study. Maddie is passionate about conserving Australia’s unique biodiversity, both on land and in the ocean.
JUDITH VINK - CONSERVATION OFFICER
Past Board members
Micha Jackson - Vice President (2018-2019), President (2017-18)
Brooke Williams - Treasurer (2018-2019)
Hemal Patel - Conservation Officer (2018-2019)
Narelle Hill - Vice President (2017-2018)
Ethan Wignell - Secretary (2017-2018)
Lachlan Francis - Treasurer (2017-2018)
Lu Wenjun - Governance Officer (2017-2018)
Ofalia Ho - Secretary (2016-2017), Conservation Officer (2017-2018)
Courtney Morgans - Vice President (2016-2017), Secretary (2015-2016), Governance Officer (2014 - 2015)
Fleur Maseyk - President (2015 - 2016)
Matthew Holden - Vice President (2015 - 2016)
Caitie Kuempel - Treasurer (2014 - 2016)
Justin Cappadonna - Secretary (2014 - 2015) President (2013 - 2014)
Michel Ohmer - Vice President (2014 - 2015)
Abby Camaclang - Governance Officer (2013 - 2014)
Brooke Williams - Treasurer (2018-2019)
Hemal Patel - Conservation Officer (2018-2019)
Narelle Hill - Vice President (2017-2018)
Ethan Wignell - Secretary (2017-2018)
Lachlan Francis - Treasurer (2017-2018)
Lu Wenjun - Governance Officer (2017-2018)
Ofalia Ho - Secretary (2016-2017), Conservation Officer (2017-2018)
Courtney Morgans - Vice President (2016-2017), Secretary (2015-2016), Governance Officer (2014 - 2015)
Fleur Maseyk - President (2015 - 2016)
Matthew Holden - Vice President (2015 - 2016)
Caitie Kuempel - Treasurer (2014 - 2016)
Justin Cappadonna - Secretary (2014 - 2015) President (2013 - 2014)
Michel Ohmer - Vice President (2014 - 2015)
Abby Camaclang - Governance Officer (2013 - 2014)
