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CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA
Biography
Dr McGinness is a Senior Research Scientist who conducts ecological research aiming to inform sustainable natural resource management practices. With a background in riverine and floodplain wetland landscape ecology, her interdisciplinary work integrates aquatic and terrestrial ecology in a range of agricultural, mixed and natural ecosystems. Heather has a strong interest in improving the management of water as a key integrating element crucial to the resilience of ecosystems. She specialises in avian ecology, filling critical knowledge gaps for long-term science, policy and management regarding environmental water and habitat requirements of floodplain wetland species.
Dr McGinness leads a range of projects, including using the latest technology in satellite-tracking the movements of waterbirds to inform water and wetland management. Since 2016 she has led the largest long-term inland waterbird movements satellite tracking project in Australia, involving over 200 birds of multiple species. Heather is currently the Waterbird Theme Leader for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Program (Flow-MER). Her work provides solutions to management problems such as how, when and where to apply environmental water in the context of threats to species as well as in the context of competing environmental and consumptive water needs. She provides consulting expertise supporting water and wetland managers and policy makers including the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), state governments, and catchment management groups. She is an active science communicator, providing practical advice and making science accessible to diverse stakeholders.
Other Interests
Dr McGinness has expertise in:
- Planning and management of multiple simultaneous projects, including staff/team management and multi-client liaison across geographically broad areas (local to national) and multiple disciplines
- Design and implementation of practical, interdisciplinary field research programs in multiple-use landscapes
- High-level writing, editing, and presentation skills for a range of audiences – from short media articles to reports and scientific journal manuscripts, and from local community presentations to international scientific conferences
- Bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian, vegetation and water quality field survey, ID, capture, handling and ecology
- Statistical analysis and modelling in R and MS Excel using both traditional and Bayesian methods
- GPS and GIS mapping and manipulations
- Effective leadership and communication with landholders, community groups, university researchers, government and non-government agencies
Dr McGinness develops and leads significant and forward-thinking collaborative research projects. She leads teams comprising both internal and external staff and concurrently manages and applies for funding for multiple projects and associated contracts and budgets within tight timeframes. She has a ‘big picture’ brain, able to develop conceptual models of whole systems and synthesise diverse sources of information and perspectives. This allows her to develop novel solutions to difficult problems and communicate complexity effectively. She has presented her ideas to and collaborated with CSIRO, government policy, CMA, LLS, university, CRC, local community and industry audiences. She has authored scientific papers, book chapters, and reports; frequently presents public seminars and communicates research through a range of media; and supervises both under-graduate and post-graduate university students in her efforts to advance science in her field.
Professional Areas
- Environmental flows
- River, floodplain, wetland and riparian ecology and management
- Hydrological change and environmental water management: Trajectories of change in floodplain ecosystems
- Responses of floodplain vegetation, fauna, and biomass to varying flood regimes and individual flood events
- Freshwater science
- Connecting land and water: Understanding and managing links between water, vegetation and fauna
- Avian ecology in rivers, floodplains, wetlands and riparian zones
Fields of Research
Current
- Conservation and biodiversity (410401)
- Ecosystem function (410203)
- Landscape ecology (410206)
- Environmental management (410404)
- Natural resource management (410406)
- Wildlife and habitat management (410407)
- Ecological impacts of climate change and ecological adaptation (410102)
- Animal behaviour (310901)
- Behavioural ecology (310301)
- Freshwater ecology (310304)
- Terrestrial ecology (310308)
Current Roles
-
Project leader - various projects
Heather has been a formal Project Leader for a range of projects in CSIRO since 2008. She has consistently and independently sought and obtained external funding for research and consultancies that she has led. Each year she has been Project Leader for between two and six projects simultaneously, while at the same time has also contributed expertise to projects led or developed by others – usually an additional two to three projects per year. Many of the projects that Heather leads involve leadership, co-ordination and supervision of multiple staff from across several CSIRO Business Units and from external agencies and universities.
Academic Qualifications
-
2007
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Science (Floodplain River Ecology)
CRC for Freshwater Ecology, University of Canberra, Australia
Professional Experiences
-
1998-Present
Leadership: Over the past 20+ years Heather has completed multiple leadership courses and workshops most of which have included personality, preference and leadership style profiles and evaluations and plans. Some recent examples include: • The Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust ‘Science to Policy Leadership’ program. • The 2016 Public Service Women in Leadership Summit • The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People • Working With People • Coaching Performance - Fundamental Skills • Coaching Performance – Challenging Conversations • Customer Conversations • CSIRO Code of Conduct and You and CSIRO Code of Conduct refreshers • Fair Play at Work • EEO Anti-Bullying Harassment & Discrimination • CSIRO Behavioural Expectations • Diversity and Inclusion in CSIRO • Introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness at CSIRO • Understanding your role and responsibilities as a CERC Postdoctoral Fellow Supervisor
University of Canbera; CSIRO -
2004-Present
Other skills: Heather has also completed a range of professional courses, workshops, licences and certificates, including: • Project Management Fundamentals • Using R for statistics • ArcGIS II Essential Workflows • Journal Paper Writing Workshops • 4WD Handling and Recovery • All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV - Quad-bike) Handling and Recovery • NSW/ACT Boat Licence • CASA Remote Pilot Licence • CSIRO Remote Pilot Certificate Induction • CASA Aviation Radio Operator’s Certificate • Class A/B Firearm Licence (Employment Licence) • Competition and Consumer Law • Commercial Business Skills Program • Senior / Apply First Aid and Refreshers • Animal Research Ethics for Researchers • Security & Fraud Awareness and refreshers • Impact@CSIRO
CSIRO
Achievements and Awards
-
2024-2024
CSIRO Environment Awards 2024 - Growing our Impact
CSIRO -
2024-2024
Australian Water Association National Awards: Research and Development Excellence Award
Australian Water Association -
2019-2019
Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding support and contribution
CEWO (Commonwealth Environmental Water Office) -
2018-2018
CSIRO Land and Water Award for Visual Communication of Science
CSIRO -
2016-2016
CSIRO Certificate of Recognition 'To acknowledge exemplary project leadership and achievement of significant science impact with key stakeholders on the MDB EWKR Waterbird project'
CSIRO -
2015-2015
CSIRO Land and Water Award 'To acknowledge going the extra mile to deliver impact and trust by directly connecting science with local NRM and landholder communities'
CSIRO -
2015-Present
Completion of the prestigious and challenging ‘Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust Science to Policy Leadership Program’
Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust -
2016-2016
Ecological Society of Australia 2016 Ecology in Action Photography Competition ‘When No-one’s watching: Camera trap gems’ remote camera images category: Second Prize for the image ‘Young fox in the afternoon’
Ecological Society of Australia -
2016-2016
Ecological Society of Australia 2016 Ecology in Action Photography Competition ‘Beneath Southern Skies: Unique Australian Landscapes’ category: Highly Commended for the image ‘River red gums at sunset, Paika Lake NSW’
Ecological Society of Australia
Community and Corporate Citizenship
-
1998-Present
Member, Australian Freshwater Sciences Society (Australian Society for Limnology)
-
2010-Present
Member, BirdLife Australia
-
2020-Present
Member, Ecological Society Australia
-
2010-Present
CSIRO Environment Area Custodian
-
2008-2024
CSIRO First Aid Officer
Related links
Publications
We have publications by Dr Heather McGinness
Published data & software
We have published items by Dr Heather McGinness