Dr Roan Plotz

Applied multi- and inter-disciplinary environmental scientist with broad expertise in teaching and leading international field research programs, including:

• From 2018 to 2023, I was a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Chair of science courses, unit chair for four ecology units and elected member of the Academic Board at Victoria University.
• Highlighted by VU Block Model Design Team as an exemplar for high quality implementation of Victoria University's new Block Model of Delivery for the Environmental Science Major (2019 to 2020). Led and worked with digital and clearning design teams in full curriculum redevelopment and redesign of four units for blended block mode delivery.
• Ongoing visiting Scientist at the Bureau of Meteorology, since 2018.
• A Traditional Knowledge Scientist at the Bureau of Meteorology leading a multinational indigenous knowledge and climate science program in the Pacific (2013-2018).
• A PhD (2016) at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, on black rhinoceros interspecific relationships. Three years tracking rhinos on foot in a big-five game reserve in South Africa.
• Awarded full teacher registration by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) in 2008. Taught science at high schools in England and Australia (2005-2007). 
• Graduated with a Diploma of Education at Monash University, 2004. 10-week teaching rounds.
• First class Honours in Conservation Biology and Ecology from La Trobe University (2000-2003). Remote fieldwork on NZ fur seals on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.

Working in the environmental sciences brings many diverse opportunities, the main ones related to working with communities, colleagues and students on applied projects locally and across the world. 

Some key highlights include: 

• Inspiring students to engage with the environmental sciences and indigenous knowledge.
• Working to enhance climate resilience with indigenous communities in the Pacific Islands.
• Spending 3-years tracking rhino on foot in large African game reserve. Gathering research to help improve decision making for the critically endangered species.
• My research on oxpeckers' (tick bird) alerting rhino to human presence being picked up by hundreds of media outlets, weeks of interviews that reached an estimated 250 million people globally (e.g., BBC, National Geographic, Scientific American, Le Monde etc.). 

I am interested in applied research that solves environmental challenges by greater interdisciplinary collaboration, that also includes indigenous knowledge. 

• Ecological Society of Australia.
• Visiting Scientist with the Bureau of Meteorology.
• Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Eastern Cape, South Africa.  

My main aim in teaching is to inspire students to fully engage with the environmental sciences by immersing them in hands on meaningful activities and opportunities, and help them to lead their own thinking and application that is linked to relevant theory and skills, so that they are prepared to be life long learners and practioners.  

Teaching into in 2024:

• SLE205 Vertebrate Structure and Function (also Unit Chair)
• SLE204 Animal Diversity
• SLE109 Foundation for Environmental Science
• SLE218 Indigenous Engagement: Natural Resource Management (also Unit Chair)
• SLE355 Zoological and Wildlife Field Studies

Previously taught at VU:

• RBF2640 Australian Animals (Animal Diversity and Evolution) (also Unit Chair)
• RBF2610 Fundamentals of Ecology (also Unit Chair)
• RBF3110 Marine and Freshwater Ecology (also Unit Chair)
• RBF3210 Environmental Rehabilitation (also Unit Chair)
• VPH6003 Disaster Resilience and Response through a Planetary Health Lens

• Behavioural Ecology
• Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge
• Human-Wildlife interactions
• Large mammal ecology

Specializes in interdisciplinary research with indigenous engagement and knowledge, as well as fieldwork on large mammal ecology, biodiversity, conservation, and climatology.

• Aboriginal and Indigenous issues
• Behaviour
• Ecology
• Environment and environmental issues
• Wildlife

I have presented at 30+ conferences locally and internationally. Most recently invited to present at the Australian Pavilion at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on our ClimateWatch Vanuatu Project and at the UN's Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform meeting in Port Douglas, Qld (2023). Other highlights include UNESCO's 'Enhancing resilience in the face of global change: mobilizing local and indigenous knowledge' global meeting in Paris, France (2017).

I co-organised the Victorian Biodiversity Conference (2020).

• President of School Advisory Board (2020-21)
• Vice-Preseident of the Greater Melbourne Chapter of the Society of Conservation Biology (2021)
• Visiting Scientist with the Bureau of Meteorology (since 2018)
• Member, Indigenous Knowledge Advisory Panel for iCLIM - Enhancing Data management in the Pacific (2018)

Many in TV, Radio and Print, with my paper on oxpeckers (tick birds) alerting rhino picked up across the world, resulting in weeks of media interviews and coverage.

Summary of select ones below:

• 2023: Stuff.co.nz, News site NZ: Zoo intrusions endanger both humans and the animals, expert says: News: [See link: https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/300853541/newsable-zoo-intrusions-endanger-both-humans-and-the-animals-expert-says]
• 2023: Herald Sun, September, 2023: How birds are outsmarting dogs.
• 2022: EarthWatch Australia, Earthwatch Australia deliver ClimateWatch Vanuatu [See link: https://earthwatch.org.au/news-media/news/earthwatch-australia-announces-new-partnership-expanding-its-citizen-science-program-climatewatch-beyond-australia].
• 2020: ABC Radio - Pacific Beat: Niue trials use of yam crops for weather forecasting: [See link: https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/niue-trials-use-of-yam-crops-for-weather-forecasting/12261852]
• 2020: Amaze Me, with Chris Packham, BBC Earth: [See link: https://www.facebook.com/bbcearth/videos/137264571770752/].
• 2020: NewsTalk Ireland: Helping Rhinos to See [See link: https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-moncrieff/helping-rhinos-see]
• 2020: National Geographic: Bird alarm calls help rhinos avoid people—and possibly poachers: [See link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/bird-calls-warn-black-rhinos-humans-poachers]
• 2020: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC): The birds on their backs are a distant early warning system for endangered rhinos [See link: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/apr-11-covid-19-transmission-reliving-apollo-13-in-real-time-and-more-1.5527720/the-birds-on-their-backs-are-a-distant-early-warning-system-for-endangered-rhinos-1.5527732]
• 2020: BBC Wildlife - Oxpeckers provide an anti-poaching warning system for black rhinos: [See link: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/oxpeckers-provide-an-anti-poaching-warning-system-for-black-rhinos]
• 2020: Scientific American - 60 second science - Birds on Rhinos' Back Help Them Avoid Poachers: [See link: https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/birds-on-rhinos-back-help-them-avoid-poachers/]
• 2020: BYU Radio, USA: Rhino's Eyes: [See link: https://www.byuradio.org/58355175-d2e1-4563-bc15-86d00ce06848/top-of-mind-with-julie-rose-rhinos-eyes]
• 2016: Nature News: Plan to fly rhinos to Australia comes under fire [See link: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2016.20141]
• 2014: RadioNZ, Scientists look to ancient wisdom to help predict weather: [See link: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2587442/scientists-look-to-ancient-wisdom-to-help-predict-weather]
• 2014: Australian Geographic Magazine: Burdened Beast [See link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232808647_Burdened_Beast_Australian_Geographic]
• 2014: The Epoch Times, Scientists Look to Ancient Knowledge for Seasonal Forecasting
• 2011: Country Life Magazine South Africa:The Rhino Man of iMfolozi [See link: https://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/132/1323815739.pdf].
• 2009: National Geographic Wild - Hunter Hunted: Rhino Rampage: [See link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZs2b9Lt2iM]
• 2009: Wild Magazine, South Africa: Black and White Survival: [See link: https://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/126/1267054802.pdf]
• 2008: South African Broadcast Channel 2: Roan Plotz - Black Rhinoceros Research Project: [See link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=n6KsSf7ftJ0]
• 2007: Australian Newspaper, Walking with Rhinos

Previously part of Applied Ecology and Environmental Change Research Group (VU).

• College awards at VU for new block model teaching and unit development.
• Conference Prize for best Poster and presentation at Greenhouse The Science of Climate Change Conference in in Adelaide, South Australia for 'Linking traditional knowledge with seasonal forecasts in Samoa: lessons from our elders'.

Current Projects - see biography for past projects/ research:

2024-25: COSPPac Traditional Knowledge – strengthening the links between the Pacific and Australia.

Description: The objective of the Project is to foster two-way understandings and relationships between Pacific and Australian First Nations people in the weather and climate space, specifically focusing on Traditional Knowledge (TK).

Partners: Deakin University, Bureau of Meteorology, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) and local Australian Indigenous agencies and communities.

2024-2026: ClimateWatch Vanuatu: Enhancing Community Climate Resilience.

Description: We are expanding Earthwatch Australia's citizen science program ClimateWatch beyond Australia.  ClimateWatch Vanuatu will provide an innovative opportunity to scale biodiversity data collection, and contribute to climate forecasts based on both contemporary and indigenous knowledge.

Partners: Earthwatch Australia partners with the Vanuatu Meteorology & Geohazard Department (VMGD), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Deakin University to deliver ClimateWatch Vanuatu.

2023 - ongoing: Flight Intitiation distances of the world's mammals.

Description: Disturbance of mammals by humans distresses and displaces animals and constitutes a major conservation problem. One measure of disturbance is the distance at which they begin escape behaviour; this is known as Flight Initiation Distance (FID, where flight means “escape” of any kind, including flying). FID varies in relation to a range of parameters, and the information allows us to better understand how humans impact wildlife and develop ways to mitigate those impacts.

Partners: Deakin University, Sri Lanka Wildlife and Conservation Society ...