Another of Charles Darwin University’s outstanding academic staff has been recognised nationally. This time it is the Sciences in the limelight, for research into the extinction and conservation of biodiversity.
The Australian Academy of Science has awarded a medal for distinguished research in biology to Dr Barry Brook, CDU’s Senior Research Fellow in the School for Environmental Research, Institute of Advanced Studies.
Dr Brook has an international reputation for excellence and innovation in population and tropical ecology, conservation biology and paleobiology, under the unifying theme of “Extinction Dynamics: Past, Present and Future”.
The 2006 Fenner Medal recognises distinguished research in biology (excluding the biomedical sciences) by scientists under 40 years of age, for work conducted mainly in Australia. Dr Brook will receive the medal and present a talk on his research at the Shine Dome in Canberra at the Academy's Annual General Meeting on 4th May.
A major preoccupation with natural scientists of the 19th century was the origin of the species, whilst a dominant theme of 20th century biology was the recognition of biodiversity and the pervasive implications of the theory of evolution. Dr Brook’s research program is a major theme for the 21st century, providing improved understanding, prediction and means of mitigating the global loss of species in the face of unprecedented anthropogenically driven change.
Since 2000, Dr Brook’s academic output has included 51 peer reviewed publications with the world’s leading scientific journals and publishers, and the award of eight ARC grants totaling $2.5 million.
For more information: Dr Barry Brook, phone 08 8946 7221.