Wendy Wright

Biography

Wendy Wright is a biologist with a strong interest in conservation and biodiversity. She is particularly interested in conservation and ecosystem management within production environments; and in highly modified landscapes. She teaches and conducts research at the Gippsland Campus of Federation University Australia. Wendy is also coordinator of Higher Degrees by Research (Masters by Research and PhD) at the Gippsland Campus. Wendy has strong connections with the Gippsland community and is co-convenor of the "Living with Bushfire" community conference. Wendy graduated with a PhD in Zoology from Reading University in the UK after completing a Bachelor of Science with honours in zoology at Monash. After a short period with ABC TV Natural History Department, making wildlife documentaries, she was appointed to an academic position at the Gippsland Campus (at the time, the campus was part of Monash University) where she has since taught and conducted research for more than 20 years. Wendy has remained at the campus through its transition from Monash University to Federation University Australia in 2014.

Research Interest

Wendy's research focuses particularly on conservation within production environments and her work aims to promote sustainable practices within the silvicultural and agricultural industries. Current and recent research includes investigating the role of remnant native vegetation and revegetated areas on farms in supporting on-farm biodiversity. This research documents the importance of native vegetation as habitat for invertebrate and vertebrate communities. Wendy is also interested in the human aspects of ecology and is opening a new line of research in ecological anthropology. Other current projects are focused on maintaining biodiversity in production forests. Wendy works collaboratively with other academics and with industry, government and semi-government agencies including the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). In 2008 she was part of a team which received the David Ashton Biodiversity Award, for a research project investigating habitat restoration for fauna in rural landscapes. Wendy has international collaborations with academics and government agencies in Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Indonesia and Japan 0.5ptf; She is currently collaborating with colleagues at the University of Sichuan in China on projects relating to biodiversity conservation in Chinese agricultural landscapes. Wendy has also published in the area of flexible delivery of science education, with an emphasis on pedagogical tools such as laboratory kits and audiovisual aids.