RIEL Seminar Series
PhD showcase: Fins, feathers, fur and futures
| Presenter | Larissa Potter, Ned Ryan-Schofield, Amy McAlpine, Lara Slivensky-Graf, Benaya Simeon, Nur Isiyana Wianti (Yanthi), Nilanjana Biswas, Candy Duff, Matilda Southgate, and Adam Moloney | |
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| Date/Time |
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| Contact person |
RIEL Outreach
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| Location |
Red 9, Level 1, Room 48 at CDU Casuarina Campus, and online via Zoom (see below for Zoom link). All times are ACST. |
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| Open to | All International audience, CDU staff and students, HDR candidates, Public, Researcher | |
The Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) presents a special event showcasing the work of higher degree by research (HDR) candidates. Ten emerging researchers at different stages of their PhD candidatures will present their work, demonstrating the breadth and value of environmental research in northern Australia and its near neighbours.
| Larissa Potter — Diet of the Australian Masked Owl reveals vulnerability to mammal declines Larissa is an ecologist with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy in the Kimberley region working closely with Dambeemangaddee Traditional Owners and undertaking a PhD through the Industry Program. |
| Ned Ryan-Schofield — Feral cat management on the Tiwi Islands Ned is an early career ecologist and PhD candidate studying feral cats in tropical northern savannas who is interested in the management of feral mesopredators, reintroduction science, and applied conservation research. |
| Amy McAlpine — Seabird distribution and status across the Northern Territory Amy is a PhD candidate and a marine biologist from Western Australia with a background in zoology and ecology. |
| Lara Slivensky-Graf — Beyond abundance: Measuring cane toad impacts on the Mertens' water monitor Lara is a PhD candidate and conservation ecologist who is passionate about understanding threatened species and translating ecological research into evidence-based conservation and management. |
| Benaya Simeon — Examining critically endangered Clown Wedgefish in western Indonesia Benaya specialises in shark and ray conservation, small-scale fisheries, and fisheries management. She also a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group from Indonesia and a PhD candidate at RIEL. |
| Nur Isiyana Wianti (Yanthi) — Gender, work and value in Indonesian crab and tuna fisheries Yanthi is a rural sociologist and lecturer at Halu Oleo University, with over a decade of research in Sama-Bajo fishing communities. Her PhD at RIEL examines gender and livelihoods in small-scale fisheries. |
| Nilanjana Biswas — Changing times, changing tides: Women in the NT seafood sector Nilanjana is a PhD scholar researching small-scale fisheries, gender and coastal livelihoods, with extensive experience as a researcher and consultant with international organisations. |
| Candy Duff — How often is often enough? Sampling rainfall isotopes in the tropics Candy is an Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) scholar and PhD candidate at CDU, using stable and radioisotopes to understand hydrological processes in tropical northern Australia. |
| Matilda Southgate — Investigating the effects of feral ungulates on wetland carbon emissions Matilda is a PhD student with a keen interest in climate change, wetlands, and land management who thoroughly enjoys doing fieldwork. |
| Adam Moloney — Economics of silage production for northern Australian beef farms Adam is an industry PhD (iPhD) student investigating the economics of silage production and feeding in northern Australia, and its potential as a supplementary feed option during dry periods. |
The presentations will run from 9am-10.30am and will be available in person and online via Zoom. This will be followed by an in-person morning tea at the same venue from 10.30am-11am, which will provide an opportunity for attendees and speakers to network and continue discussions about the research presentations.
Please note, this session is the final instalment of the RIEL Seminar Series for 2026. Monitor the seminar webpage for updates about the 2027 series early next year.
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