Profile image of Lachlan Howell

Dr Lachlan Howell

STAFF PROFILE

Position

Research Fellow

Faculty

Faculty of Sci Eng & Built Env

Department

School of Life & Env Sciences

Campus

Melbourne Burwood Campus

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle, 2022

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:

- BBC Coverage

- 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

https://cie-deakin.com/

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

No publications found

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