USQ researcher wins Tall Poppy award
TOOWOOMBA-based wildlife ecologist Dr Ben Allen has been recognised for scientific excellence at the prestigious 2019 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Awards.
Dr Allen, who specialises in invasive species and wildlife management, particularly in wild dogs in Australia, was honoured at a ceremony at Brisbane’s Queensland Museum on Friday.
The annual Young Tall Poppy Science Awards celebrate scientific excellence and outstanding science communication and are hosted by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science in partnership with the Office of the Queensland Chief Scientist.
“I’m incredibly chuffed at this recognition for our efforts to bring science to the people who need solutions to complex problems,” Dr Allen said.
Dr Allen, who is a vicechancellor’s senior research fellow at the University of Southern Queensland, said communicating science was as important as the work itself.
“What good is research that
‘‘ I’M INCREDIBLY CHUFFED AT THIS RECOGNITION DR BEN ALLEN
is never shared and never used to improve community and industry. Science should not sit on a shelf.”
Dr Allen works with farmers, local governments and state governments, collaborating to solve real-world concerns in the area of humanwildlife conflicts.
“I work in wild canid ecology, conservation and management, specifically investigating predators in livestock situations (for example wild dogs attacking sheep and cattle),” he said. “This award acknowledges the cooperation of scientists and many different stakeholders to manage the balancing act of agricultural and environmental concerns.”
The Tall Poppy Campaign was created in 1998 to encourage younger Australians to follow in the footsteps of outstanding scientific achievers.