Biography summary
Research Fellow at Deakin University's Centre for Integrative Ecology |
Drone scientist | Developing economic arguments for emerging technologies for wildlife conservation |
Career highlights
- Rising Star of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology 2020 - The Australian Research Magazine (https://www.newcastle.edu.au/newsroom/featured/our-researchers-recognised-in-the-australians-research-2020-magazine).
- Best Higher Degree by Research Engagement Award 2020 - Faculty Research and Research Training Committee, The University of Newcastle, Australia.
- Academic Division Awards – Collaboration Excellence 2020 - The University of Newcastle, Australia.
Research interests
- Emerging technologies for wildlife conservation
- Drone technology
- Wildlife monitoring
- Koala conservation
- Conservation public policy
- Economic modelling and analyses
- Assisted reproductive technologies / biobanking
- Scholarship of teaching and learning
Affiliations
Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University | https://cie-deakin.com/
FAUNA Research Alliance | https://faunaresearchalliance.com/
Knowledge areas
- Emerging technologies for wildlife conservation
- Drone technology
- Wildlife monitoring
- Conservation public policy
- Economic modelling and analyses
- Assisted reproductive technologies / biobanking
Conferences
Conference Presentation:
- Use of drone technology as a wildlife monitoring tool - Invited Presentation to the Ecological Consultants Association of NSW Annual Conference 2022
- Drones as an emerging wildlife monitoring tool: progress, challenges and opportunities - Ninth Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference - Caro Convention Centre, Mount Helen Campus, Federation University 2022.
- Emerging arguments for ARTs in wildlife and their implications for assisted reproduction in the conservation breeding of managed marsupials - Invited Presentation to the CANDES Preconference Symposium at the 48th Annual Conference for the International Embryo Technology Society 2022
- Modelling genetic benefits and financial costs of integrating biobanking into the conservation breeding of managed marsupials - Australasian Wildlife Management Society Conference 2021
- Integrating biobanking could produce significant cost-benefits and minimise inbreeding for Australian amphibian captive breeding programs - Ecological Society of Australia 2021 Conference.
- Cost-effective amphibian captive breeding using biobanking to meet IUCN 100-year, 90 percent heterozygosity criteria - 9th World Congress of Herpetology 2020. Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Is drone technology the cost-effective solution for koala monitoring? - Ecological Society of Australia 2020 Conference.
Co-authored poster:
- PUTTING THE PASS IN CLASS: IN-CLASS PEER MENTORING ON CAMPUS AND ONLINE - Proceedings of The Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education 2020.
Professional activities
CASA Accredited RPA (drone) pilot:
- CASA Remote Pilot License (RePL).
- Aeronautical Radio Operator Certificate (AROC).
- Drone Night Operations Training.
- Sub-25kg multi-rotor endorsement.
Media appearances
I have made media appearances for a wide range of environmental science and policy topics. I have had a global media reach of over 1.3 billion people for viral stories related particularly to koala conservation projects.
Some recent highlights include:
- Australian Geographic Coverage
- National Television & National Radio
Follow my media:
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/docloc_
Read my articles in The Conversation here: https://theconversation.com/profiles/lachlan-g-howell-875942/articles
Research groups
Centre for Integrative Ecology
Awards
- Rising Star of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology 2020 - The Australian Research Magazine (https://www.newcastle.edu.au/newsroom/featured/our-researchers-recognised-in-the-australians-research-2020-magazine).
- Best Higher Degree by Research Engagement Award 2020 - Faculty Research and Research Training Committee, The University of Newcastle, Australia.
- Academic Division Awards – Collaboration Excellence 2020 - The University of Newcastle, Australia.
Projects
- Principal Research Fellow on 'Use of emerging technologies for native wildlife population assessment and management'
- Co-lead on 2022 Mini ARC Analog Program – Discovery: 'Machine learning development for automated drone detection of cryptic wildlife’
- Lead on 2022 CSIRO-funded National Koala Monitoring Program project: 'Drone surveys vs double-observer counts for East Gippsland Koala populations'
- Lead on CIE-EARLY CAREER RESEARCH (ECR) INNOVATIONS GRANT: 'Developing a beta artificial intelligence model for the automated detection of greater gliders during thermal drone surveys'
- Lead on LES Blue Sky Innovation Fund 2022: 'Trialling the feasibility and factors affecting detectability for AudioMoths as a low-cost tool for estimating koala density'
Publications
Lachlan Howell, Ryan Witt
(2023), Vol. 198, pp. 19-29, Theriogenology, United States, C1
Intergenerational Inequity: Stealing the Joy and Benefits of Nature From Our Children
M Hayward, N Meyer, N Balkenhol, C Beranek, C Bugir, K Bushell, A Callen, A Dickman, A Griffin, P Haswell, L Howell, C Jordan, K Klop-Toker, R Moll, R Montgomery, T Mudumba, L Osipova, S Périquet, R Reyna-Hurtado, W Ripple, L Sales, F Weise, R Witt, P Lindsey
(2022), Vol. 10, pp. 1-6, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Lausanne, Switzerland, C1-1
L Howell, S Johnston, J O’brien, R Frankham, J Rodger, S Ryan, C Beranek, J Clulow, D Hudson, R Witt
(2022), Vol. 12, pp. 1-18, Animals, Basel, Switzerland, C1
The Relative Role of Knowledge and Empathy in Predicting Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behavior
M Ienna, A Rofe, M Gendi, H Douglas, M Kelly, M Hayward, A Callen, K Klop-Toker, R Scanlon, L Howell, A Griffin
(2022), Vol. 14, pp. 1-21, Sustainability, Basel, Switzerland, C1-1
Putting the PASS in Class: Peer Mentors' Identities in Science Workshops on Campus and Online
L Phelan, S Baker, G Cooper, T Horton, S Whitling, P Hodge, K Cutts, C Bugir, L Howell, K Latham, H Stevens, R Witt, B McBain
(2022), Vol. 14, pp. 21-36, Journal of Peer Learning, Wollongong, N.S.W., C1
Lachlan Howell, Peter Mawson, Pierre Comizzoli, Ryan Witt, Richard Frankham, Simon Clulow, Justine O'Brien, John Clulow, Paul Marinari, John Rodger
(2022), pp. 1-34, Conservation Biology, London, Eng., C1
L Howell, P Mawson, R Frankham, J Rodger, R Upton, R Witt, N Calatayud, S Clulow, J Clulow
(2021), Vol. 33, pp. 573-587, Reproduction, Fertility and Development, C1-1
L Howell, R Frankham, J Rodger, R Witt, S Clulow, R Upton, J Clulow
(2021), Vol. 14, Conservation Letters, C1-1
Trialling a real-time drone detection and validation protocol for the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
C Beranek, A Roff, B Denholm, L Howell, R Witt
(2021), Vol. 43, pp. 260-264, Australian Mammalogy, C1-1
L Howell, J Clulow, N Jordan, C Beranek, S Ryan, A Roff, R Witt
(2021), Vol. 49, pp. 66-78, Wildlife Research, C1
G Della Togna, L Howell, J Clulow, C Langhorne, R Marcec-Greaves, N Calatayud
(2020), Vol. 150, pp. 412-431, Theriogenology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
A Callen, M Hayward, K Klop-Toker, B Allen, G Ballard, F Broekhuis, R Clarke, J Clulow, S Clulow, J Daltry, H Davies-Mostert, Y Di Blanco, V Dixon, P Fleming, L Howell, G Kerley, S Legge, D Lenga, T Major, R Montgomery, K Moseby, N Meyer, D Parker, S Périquet, J Read, R Scanlon, C Shuttleworth, C Tamessar, W Taylor, K Tuft, R Upton, M Valenzuela, R Witt, W Wüster
(2020), Vol. 241, Biological Conservation, C1-1
R Witt, C Beranek, L Howell, S Ryan, J Clulow, N Jordan, B Denholm, A Roff
(2020), Vol. 15, pp. 1-17, PLoS One, San Francisco, Calif., C1-1
Reintroducing rewilding to restoration - Rejecting the search for novelty
M Hayward, R Scanlon, A Callen, L Howell, K Klop-Toker, Y Di Blanco, N Balkenhol, C Bugir, L Campbell, A Caravaggi, A Chalmers, J Clulow, S Clulow, P Cross, J Gould, A Griffin, M Heurich, B Howe, D Jachowski, Y Jhala, R Krishnamurthy, R Kowalczyk, D Lenga, J Linnell, K Marnewick, A Moehrenschlager, R Montgomery, L Osipova, C Peneaux, J Rodger, L Sales, R Seeto, C Shuttleworth, M Somers, C Tamessar, R Upton, F Weise
(2019), Vol. 233, pp. 255-259, Biological Conservation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
Deconstructing compassionate conservation
M Hayward, A Callen, B Allen, G Ballard, F Broekhuis, C Bugir, R Clarke, J Clulow, S Clulow, J Daltry, H Davies-Mostert, P Fleming, A Griffin, L Howell, G Kerley, K Klop-Toker, S Legge, T Major, N Meyer, R Montgomery, K Moseby, D Parker, S Périquet, J Read, R Scanlon, R Seeto, C Shuttleworth, M Somers, C Tamessar, K Tuft, R Upton, M Valenzuela-Molina, A Wayne, R Witt, W Wüster
(2019), Vol. 33, pp. 760-768, Conservation Biology, London, Eng, C1-1
L Howell, J Rodger
(2018), Vol. 24, pp. 142-147, Pacific Conservation Biology, Melbourne, Vic., C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Other Public Sector Funding
Drone surveys vs double-observer counts for East Gippsland Koala populations.
Dr Lachlan Howell, Dr Desley Whisson, A/Prof Daniel Ierodiaconou, Dr Blake Allan, Prof Don Driscoll
CSIRO
- 2022: $49,966
Supervisions
No completed student supervisions to report