Dr Auro Almeida

Principal Research Scientist

https://people.csiro.au/A/A/Auro-Almeida

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PRIVATE BAG 12
HOBART TAS 7001 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Dr Almeida is a Principal Research Scientist in CSIRO Environment. He was awarded a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Science from the Australian National University in 2003. He has 37 years of research experience, primarily working in forestry, agriculture and water-resource management. He combines field experimentation and process-based modelling to create an advanced understanding of how trees and crops respond to different environmental conditions and management practices at different scales. This accumulated knowledge has been used to develop sustainable and environmentally sound production systems for planted and native forests, and agricultural crops; a particular focus has been on water use and catchment management. The science and its application have been undertaken in Australia, and several countries in South America, Europe and Southern Asia. He currently leads a multi-disciplinary project in Nepal in basin plan and water resources management funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and in collaboration with the Government of Nepal. This project is developing basin plan strategy implementation action plan for water resources management in the Kamala River Basin which is strongly linked to capacity building of in-country staff.

Several of the Australian and international projects in the forestry sector have involved long-term applied research with companies and governmental agencies; the focus has been on sustainable wood production and quantifying and improving water use. Using sensor networks to collect field data, Dr Almeida has created and applied models so that growers can predict the effects of tree plantations on catchment water balance and water-use efficiency and respond and adapt to the impacts of climate change. He has also developed strategic research plans for large companies in South America.

Before joining CSIRO, he worked as a senior research scientist for fourteen years in the industrial forestry sector in Brazil, where he was the first person to develop and apply process-based models in the context of managing large-scale forest plantations in Brazil. This led to changes in their planning and management.
From 1988 to 1991 Dr Almeida worked as a researcher for the Italian National Energy Agency (ENEA), IFAD (United Nations) and Ecotherm Spa in Italy in the field of environmental impact assessment.

Other Interests

Gardening, snorkeling, swimming (pool and open water), bushwalking, dog training, travelling and learn different cultures and idioms.
Fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian

Achievements and Awards

10/10/2017-28/02/2019

Gottstein Trust Fellowship
Gottstein Trust
2014-2014

Swarm Sensing Project, Tasmanian iAward winner – R&D
Australian Computer Society

Professional Areas

Fields of Research

Current

Current Roles

Project Leader - Supporting the implementation of basin development planning in Nepal
Promote rural development, water management and capacity building in Kamala basin in Nepal
Project Leader
Predicting forest plantation growth and water use in plantations in Portugal
Project Leader
Development and application of process-based model in the forestry industry in Australia
Site Manager
Manage the Tasmanian sites of International Cosmos Sensor Network (ICSN). These contribute to the understanding of soil moisture dynamics at the landscape level and development of soil moisture sensing and mapping protocols using high resolution electronic conductivity instruments for precision agriculture

Academic Qualifications

2017

Specialization
Partnership Brokers, Partnership Brokers Association, Canberra, Australia
2017

Specialization, Leadership Essential
Melbourne, Australia
2003

PhD, ANU, Australia
The Australian National University
2003

Business Development
Fundação Don Cabral, Brazil
1993

Specialization, Remote Sensing and Natural Resources Management
University of New Mexico, USA
1988

Specialization, Engineering of Renewable Energy Sources - Sogesta, Italy
ENI, Urbino, Italy
1986

Bachelor of Agricultural Engineer - University of Taubate;, Brazil
University of Taubate, Brazil

Professional Experiences

2020-ongoing

Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO, Environment, Sandy Bay, TAS, Australia
2006-2020

Senior Research Scientist,
CSIRO, Land and Water, Hobart, Australia
1991-2005

Senior Research Scientist
Aracruz Celulose, ES, Brazil
1990-1991

Environmental Consultant
IFAD, United Nations, Rome Italy
1990-1991

Project Engineer
Ecotherm, Rome, Italy

Community and Corporate Citizenship

01/07/2015-present

Ecohydrology Laboratory Custodian
01/01/2017-present

Warden member of CSIRO Sandy Bay site

Publications

We have publications by Dr Auro Almeida