Biography summary
Research Fellow at Deakin University's Centre for Integrative Ecology |
Drone scientist | Developing economic arguments for emerging technologies for wildlife conservation |
Coordinate drone use at Deakin University as Chief Remote Pilot |
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:
- Attenuation of disturbance of waterbird species during repeat drone surveys regardless of altitude or drone type - Speed Talk and Poster, Ecological Society of Australia 2022 Conference, Wollongong, Australia
- Arguments for the development of assisted reproductive technologies and biobanking in the iconic and imperilled koala - Invited Presentation to the Australasian Biospecimen Network Association 19th Annual Conference (Biobanking: Blue Sky Horizons), Perth, Australia
- 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.
- Deakin University's Chief Remote Pilot, Drone Operations Coordinator and Maintenance Controller
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'
Publications
Lachlan Howell, Peter Mawson, Pierre Comizzoli, Ryan Witt, Richard Frankham, Simon Clulow, Justine O'Brien, John Clulow, Paul Marinari, John Rodger
(2023), Vol. 37, pp. 1-15, Conservation Biology, London, Eng., C1
Lachlan Howell, Ryan Witt
(2023), Vol. 198, pp. 19-29, Theriogenology, United States, C1
Lachlan Howell, Blake Allan, Don Driscoll, Daniel Ierodiaconou, Todd Doran, Michael Weston
(2023), Vol. 7, pp. 1-10, Drones, Basel, Switzerland, 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
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, A/Prof Desley Whisson, A/Prof Daniel Ierodiaconou, Dr Blake Allan, Prof Don Driscoll
CSIRO
- 2022: $49,966
Supervisions
No completed student supervisions to report