Clair and Lisa our new Grads for 2014
Each year, AFMA selects graduates with an interest in establishing a career in natural resource management – our fisheries managers of the future. This year, we have two great graduates – Lisa Stevenson and Claire Wallis.
We’ve asked them to tell you a bit about themselves and what they hope to achieve in their time in the graduate program.
Lisa studied a Bachelor of Science (Ecology & Conservation) at James Cook University in Townsville, where she bounced from marine biology to botany to biology of frogs.
“I picked Ecology & Conservation as my major because Marine Biology seemed too narrow with so many people studying it, and not enough jobs in the industry. So I thought I would rather take a broad-scale approach.”
“Applying to the joint Department of Agriculture and AFMA Grad program was an easy choice for someone with a biology background. I didn’t see the point in doing further conservation-orientated research if I didn’t know what to do with it afterwards. So moving into policy and its implementation was a logical next step. I was especially happy to end up at AFMA as I find fisheries very interesting.”
Lisa also tells us that she’s a little bit musical too.
“You would never catch me singing in public (I’m too chicken), but I play the clarinet and spent a few university vacations arranging pieces of music. I’m also a big Dr Who fan.”
Claire started her studies at Monash University in Victoria, followed by the University of Tasmania, in Hobart.
“At Monash I studied a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Zoology and Conservation Biology. I completed an Honours thesis in Molecular Ecology, looking at the impact of agricultural habitat fragmentation on the Agile Antechinus (a marsupial mouse). At the University of Tasmania I studied a Master of Antarctic Science, and carried out a research project investigating the Antarctic sea urchin.”
Claire applied to the graduate program specifically to get a spot at AFMA.
“Growing up, my family took regular trips to Apollo Bay which started an early interest in the marine environment. I did training on tall ships, competitive dinghy sailing and then later I broke the surface and took up scuba diving. All this made the conservation and management of marine species very important to me, leading me to volunteering with researchers working with seals, seabirds, coral reefs, and turtles.”
Claire says that she’s looking forward to the year ahead with the opportunity to learn more about AFMA and contribute to meaningful projects.
“AFMA is involved with such a diverse range of activities, so far I’ve learnt about Intelligence and Foreign Compliance and I’m looking forward to learning more about the Observer Program, as well as the Torres Strait Fisheries group.”
We also asked her what her proudest moment has been so far.
“My proudest moment came from my time working as a research assistant in Costa Rica. I spent 3 months involved with Leatherback turtles and their eggs. This involved nightly beach patrols, building an egg hatchery and then carefully relocating the eggs to the hatchery. We had both the most nests successfully relocated to the hatchery, and the highest hatching rates recorded for the 10 year program. With a WWF estimate of 2300 adult female pacific leatherbacks remaining in the wild, this result felt pretty good.”
“Coming from a science background, AFMA’s approach of applying it to complex real world problems is exciting. I’m looking forward to bringing my experience in research to support AFMA’s programs, and assisting with future management of Australia’s marine resources.”
We wish our new graduates all the best in the coming year.