I am a conscientious and steadfast individual with a passion for environment, community and sustainability. I am currently completing my third and final year of a Bachelor of Science (Environment and Heritage Management) at the University of Wollongong, with plans to finish in 11/2024. I am eager to gain professional experience in the field of natural resource management, particularly in roles that contribute to sustainable land use and community engagement. My background in bush regeneration, alongside ten years of diverse work experience in industries such as hospitality, retail, tourism, construction and conservation, has instilled in me a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, and the ability to adapt quickly to fast paced, team-oriented environments. I am excited to apply my theoretical knowledge and practical experience to contribute to meaningfully to landscape management and environmental stewardship.
This is a project I volunteered on over the course of summer 2023/2024, which is part of the Southern Namaqualand Archaeology Project (SNAP) from South Africa. We were exploring the Middle stone Age signal beyond that of the classic Cape system. The project aimed to clarify the technological context of the early Ostrich Eggshell (OES) beads in Area IV of the site. As a team, we identified and recorded the artefacts by raw material (rock) types, classifying the artefacts into primary classes (flakes, retouched flakes, cores, and other fragments), and tool types. All artefacts were weighed, measured, and photographed, and all data entered database to plot out the distribution through a spatial system. Through this project, I gained both skills in geological and lithic identification and analysis, data recording and entry, and behavioural skills in coordinating, collaborating, communicating and organising as a team to complete the project over the summer.
A significant knowledge gap exists between koala rehabilitation and the resulting success or failure of koalas re-establishing in the wild. This project monitored koalas, after care and medical treatment (or post-rehabilitation), by radio-tracking them in the Greater Western Sydney region to improve the understanding of survival and of the factors contributing to successful re-establishment in the wild. This area of research is important as it supports and informs wildlife rehabilitators and other wildlife health professionals on the effectiveness of current care and release protocols in NSW. This post-rehabilitation monitoring study was the first of its kind for the Greater Western Sydney region. Through this project I’ve gained organisational and coordination skills necessary for radiotracking animals, navigating terrains through elevation models, and additional experience in plant identification, scat identification and database entry.
amackay@uow.edu.au, 0427 333 207
brie@scienceforwildlife.org, 0476 189 849
0476 777 674, 0410 359 167