WABSI joint venture partners recently renewed the successful partnership for a further 5 years, following funding from the Western Australian Government through the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
The WABSI joint venture partnership represents leading biodiversity science research expertise in Western Australia. The partnership enables WABSI to develop end user driven biodiversity research programs that are collaborative and can more effectively address priority knowledge needs.
The partnership comprises the following organisations:
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER)
Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS)
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)
CSIRO
Western Australian Museum
Curtin University
Murdoch University
The University of Western Australia (UWA)
Edith Cowan University (ECU)
Photo above: Senior leaders from partnership organisations renew the agreement, November 2023
Back left to right: Dr Ian Cresswell (WABSI Board Chair); Andrew Chaplyn (Deputy Director General Resource and Environmental Regulation Group, DEMIRS); Dr Brett Molony (Science Director Environment, CSIRO); Dr Ben Biddulph (Chief Scientist, Primary Industries Development, DPIRD); Professor Peter Eastwood (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, Murdoch University)
Front left to right: Andrew Dolling (Executive Director, Science and Innovation, Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation); Associate Professor Jennifer McIlwain (Head of Science, Collections and Research, WA Museum); Professor Anna Nowak (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, UWA); Professor Melinda Fitzgerald (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research (Interim), Curtin University); Stuart Smith (Director General, DBCA); Michelle Andrews (Director General, DWER); Professor Caroline Finch AO (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, ECU); Professor Owen Nevin (CEO, WABSI)
Photo above: Michelle Andrews (Chair, WABSI Council of Participant Organisations and Director General, DWER), reaffirms the need for WABSI as a collaboration mechanism.
WABSI hosts a research symposium celebrating the collaborative research partnership
To celebrate this milestone, WABSI hosted a research symposium where early career researchers from each of the partner organisations, presented on a diverse range of topics – from the role of soil microorganisms in restoring degraded ecosystems, to habitat characterisation of subterranean fauna, to innovative seed enhancement technologies to overcome barriers to native plant establishment for the ecological restoration of biodiversity hotspots. It was a great opportunity to share knowledge and to explore avenues for further collaboration on biodiversity research.
Photos above: Presenters (clockwise L to R) Dr Jeremy Wilson (WA Museum Boola Bardip), Ms Maria Lopes (Department of Water and Environmental Regulation), Dr Anna Hopkins (Edith Cowan University), Dr Alison Ritchie (The University of Western Australia)
Photos above: Presenters (clockwise L to R) Dr Sarah Sapsford (Murdoch University), Dr Brenton von Takach (Curtin University), Dr Saul Cowen (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions)
Photos above: Presenters Dr Felipe Albornoz (CSIRO) and Nicholas Wright (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development),