Claire Bird Email & Phone Number

Australia

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

• I own and operate LITMAS Pty Ltd, an environmental microbiology facility located in Queensland, Australia. My main focus in this role is:
• Overseeing the operations, business, technical content, research and product development of LITMAS to ensure business exceeds client expectations
• Training and upskilling industry sectors, most notably occupational/industrial hygiene, building biology, remediation, insurance, and Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning in exposure to microbial threats and.
• Participating in Advocacy programs and standard of care document and framework development
• Public speaking and media releases on topics associated with Indoor Air Quality

• Delighted to be advocating for indoor air quality and infection migitation through supporting IBEC in its work toward reducing the spread of airborne infectious diseases. Through grant-funded programs, educational.
• Learning continually from world leading peers in the indoor air quality space
• Delivering an ongoing series of expert panels on topics related to infection control in buildings and in vulnerable populations
• Deliivered training with the Australian Insitute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) where I proudly co-chair the indoor air quality special technical group on Bioaerosol detection and risk mitigation
• Supported grant applications for a range of knowledge products for the general public around infection control
• Co-leading coordination of a cross-disciplinary professional body and industy collaboration to develop a framework for indoor air quality

Queensland, Australia

• With the support of COHLABS, I spearheaded the development of a robust but novel framework that has revolutionised mould analysis in the building assessment field. This groundbreaking framework seamlessly integrated.
• By drawing inspiration from COHLABS' proven system, developed LITMAS laboratory and robust quality and sample processing procedures
• Ensured a smooth transition for clients seeking comprehensive building sample analyses, including assessments for asbestos, mould, and bacteria
• Delivered mould site assessment and analysis projectsThrough our ongoing close collaboration with COHLABS, we strengthened the quality and efficiency of our services, delivering accurate and reliable results to our.

Brisbane, Australia

• I successfully led the Greencap business in integrating risk management into the indoor air quality and healthy buildings sector. As the Principal at Greencap, I had the privilege of overseeing a team of highly.
• Lead authorship and coordination of Greencap's submission to the Australian Government Public Inquiry into Biotoxin Related Illness. This submission resulted in an exciting research collaboration between Macquarie.
• Supervision of mould remediation works in one of Australia's largest escape of liquid claims across a 14-story flooded building, including on-site laboratory services and coordination of a very large sampling campaign.
• Staff supervision and training in the mould and water damage assessment space, and development of unique in-house protocols for rapid large-scale assessment utilising a wide range of sampling methods and analytical.

Melbourne, Australia

• Witnessing a strong demand from numerous clients for nationwide coverage and high-level expertise in Hygiene/Risk Management within Australia, I joined Coffey, known for its flexibility in addressing unforeseen.
• Managed testing and on site risk mitigation during remediation of a very large fire loss in a clothing manufacturing outlet across almost 1 milllion potentially fire-impacted items
• Developed a risk mitigation strategy for bioaerosol control during remediation of a large avian botulism-impacted site which allowed construction works to continue whilst protecting workers form a potentailly extremely.
• Established a mould anlatyical laboratory facility

Brisbane Area, Australia

• I enhanced safety and wellness in residential and workplace settings through delivery of comprehensive services by providing Indoor Air Quality and exposure risk components to VIRIDIS' unique in-house engineering and.
• Coordinated and managed largescale longterm mould assessments of two flooded multi-storey constructions with high end-user senstivity
• Engaged as technical reviewer for NABERS indoor enviornment rating tool
• Established the VIRIDIS mould analtycial facility
• Delivered nationwide training to one of Australia's largest insurance policy providers

Octief Pty Ltd (formerly Octief Consulting Group)

• I managed the Environmental team across chemical and microbial contamination in outdoor and built environments.Key achievements:
• Successfully implemented a business in assessing contamination of built structures which remains highly successful
• Led and managed a realtime, interactive and field sampling-based dust risk minimisation for Government client during a highly sensitive large scale demolition project
• Ensured business continuity after Hospital wing flooded - Tweaked established methods to provide ongoing clearance/staged restoration - No interruption of business - all patients treated - largest insurance cost removed
• Led a team to achieve quick/safe reopening of flooded 80-store shopping mall in Bundaberg - Focus on clearance using rapid methods - Centre fully cleared and operational within four months with no delays incurred from.
• Invited to Technical Working Group for National Australian Environment Rating System for Indoor Environment, and Indoor Environment advisor to Green Star

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

• I was brought in at short notice to act as specialist exposure risk supervisor during disaster response following flooding at Numurkah Hospital, Victoria. Key achievements:
• Successfully delineated the extent of insurable water damage for the insurer
• Led the microbial sampling plans and data analysis program
• Developed a risk management plan to stop loss and also protect occupants of adjoining buildings from risk of exposure to bacteria and viruses from sewage, and mould from growth on damp building materials and contents
• Devised a protocol for and implemented assessment of high-risk items such as hospital contents, furnishings and fittings for evidence of likely contamination so ensuring risks between cost of replacement and arising.

Brisbane, Australia

• I was responsible for developing an indoor air quality business and building capacity in greenhouse gas emissions in the waste industry. Key achievements:
• Technical reviewer for the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency methodologies for determining carbon credits for the landfill and piggery methane capture industries
• Developed a carbon emissions abatement tool for the waste industry
• Managed mould contamination of timber used for loading and packaging of manufactured goods
• Trained a number of peak bodies in microbial contamination and methamphetamine contaminated

Adelaide, Australia

• I established a new business sector in water damage assessment of buildings and in indoor air quality. Key achievements:
• Technical consulting to the.Department of Climate Change for microbially generated greenhouse gas emissions from waste
• Assessed soil vapour intrusion from contaminated soil and groundwater into a number of social housing properties
• Developed a platform for Remedial and Safety Management Plans including stakeholder networking
• Prepared greenhouse gas inventories and environmental management plans for the waste industry and local Government.

• I moved to Australia from the UK under Prof. Andy Ball to establish the Environmetnal Biotechnology laboratory at Flinders Univeresity as part of the $5M DEFEEST-funded project with Comet Resources Pty Ltd. The project.
• Prepared a large multi-institutional submission as a Cooperative Research Council for the detection of airborne pathogens in transport hubs and vessels which ironically was declined due to the lack of an obvious.
• Completed of the DEFEEST project on bioremediation of waste crude oil residues
• Supervised undergraduate, masters and doctoral students and researchers on numerous molecular biology projects related to this core investigation and to other bioremediation, bioleaching and waste management projects
• Devised novel methods for developing new bacterial and fiungal strains capable of metabolising and reducing environmental risk from contaminated soils, residues and geological materials

• I was engaged in a commercial research capacity to develop methods of sampling, analysis and optimisation for large-scale bioremediation projects.
• Carried out bench to commercial scale large soil volume (up to 8,000 cubic metre) optimisation programs for bioremediation of contaminated soils to allow disposal in a landfill or re-use for in-house consultancy
• Established an on-site laboratory for testing of contaminated soils using GC-MS and molecular microbial community profiling
• Developed a greenhouse gas abatement and life-cycle analysis tool for one of Australia's largest electricity transmission and distribution network providers

Northampton, United Kingdom

Grant application and site/personnel management for community-based conservation projects. General duties as co-director of the company. Community liaison and assisting in setting up autonomous groups to manage their own local environmental resources.

• Developed novel sampling and analytical methods for describing airborne microorganims in the indoor and outdoor environments. Key achivements:
• Awarded a Doctoral title based on my thesis "Novel moleculare methods for characterising airborne microorgansims
• Successfully characterised assemblages of airborne microorganisms using PCR and fluorescent in situ hybridisation
• Following a shift in focus to creating military and civilian detect-to-warn systems, presented findings in person to Department of Defence in the UK and in Canada (DRDC), and later in Australia

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Characterising Microorganisms In New Ways

Activities and Societies: Characterisation of airborne microorganisms using molecular techniques. Development of novel methods for.

B.Sc. Environmental Science - Monitoring And Management, Environmental Science, Hons

University Award for outstanding Academic Achievement.

Bachelor Of Science (B.Sc.) - 2 Year Study, Microbiology, General