Melissa Wood Email and Phone Number

Growing up in the bush and being surrounded by wildlife, I was the kind of kid who always knew what I wanted to do when I grew up. I wanted to protect wildlife and spend my life raising awareness about the significance of biodiversity conservation and fostering a sense of responsibility towards the natural world.I feel most in my element when I am in the field and working alongside organisations that are dedicated to protecting the future of our wildlife. In 2015-2017 I was running a flatback turtle research program in Port Hedland and started a shorebird monitoring program. We were able to secure a large amount of funding and add to our current knowledge of the flatback turtle populations. In my passion to pursue further opportunities for empowering conservation, I began volunteering in Western Ringtail Possum research as part of my Master of Philosophy to understand the decline in possum populations. Working collaboratively with other researchers and not-for-profits to develop future solutions to prevent population decline. I have worked in a variety of settings including directing a scheduling and data analysis team during a biosecurity incident involving the Polyphagous Shot hole Borer. I worked to improve the methods for data collection design, which resulted in being able to track and identify cases outside of the known areas.Currently, I am working with GHD as an Ecologist, where I am leading and assisting in fauna surveys, and ecological monitoring, including the design and implementation of monitoring programs for threatened species.My future goal is to work towards making a larger impact in threatened species conservation and championing the cause of conservation at local, national, and global levels.