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Dr Becky Schmidt

Pronouns: she,her,hers

Principal Environmental Scientist

https://people.csiro.au/S/B/Becky-Schmidt

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Contact details:

GPO BOX 1700
CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Dr Becky Schmidt is a Principal Environmental Scientist in CSIRO Land and Water, co-developing environmental information that government, community and industry use to make decisions, protect our environment and prosper sustainably. She works with researchers from a range of disciplines, complementing their specialist domain knowledge with her generalist understanding of systems, to address challenges in sustainability, agriculture, coal resource development, and land and water science.

Currently she is collaborating with partners to implement the Australian Government’s strategy and action plan for a common national approach to environmental-economic accounting, helping government and businesses make balanced decisions using consistent information on the environment, economy and society.

As a member of the leadership team for the Valuing Sustainability Future Science Platform, she works with a transdisciplinary team on next-generation science that provides confidence that actions lead to positive outcomes for land, water, biodiversity and people.

Professional Areas

Current Roles

  • Leadership Team
    Valuing Sustainability Future Science Platform

  • Project Leader
    Regional Ecosystem Accounting Pilot projects, in partnership with DCCEEW, ABS and MDBA

  • Independent author
    National 2021 State of the Environment, land theme

  • Team member
    Habitat Condition Assessment System

Academic Qualifications

  • 1995

    PhD, Physical Chemistry and Biochemistry
    Cornell University

  • 1989

    BS, High Distinction, Chemistry
    University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Professional Experiences

  • 2021-present

    Principal Environmental Scientist in Living Landscapes Program
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2018-2021

    Senior Environmental Scientist in Biodiversity, Ecosystem Knowledge and Services Program and Living Landscapes Program
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2014-2017

    Research Team Leader, Knowledge Integration Team, Water Resource Management Program
    Land and Water Flagship

  • 2012-2014

    Research Team Leader, Knowledge Delivery Team, Environmental Information Systems Program
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2006-2012

    Scientific Editor, Office of the Chief
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 1996-2000

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow
    John Curtin School of Medical Research, the Australian National University

  • 1996-1996

    Research Officer
    Australian National Univeristy Supercomputer Facility

Achievements and Awards

  • 2018-

    Chairman’s Medal for Science Excellence, as one of 30 seminal contributors to the Bioregional Assessment Programme
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2018-

    Chief Executive Professional Development Award, recognising ‘excellence in delivering interdisciplinary scientific information that meets customer needs’
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2017-

    Performance reward: outstanding performance as leader of the ‘OurPlace’ Lean Launch Pad team
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2017-

    Completion of Experienced Leader Program
    CSIRO

  • 2013-

    Completion of Leadership Essentials Program
    CSIRO

  • 2011-

    CSIRO Land and Water Equity and Diversity Award, for role in Women in Science Initiative
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2008-

    CSIRO Chairman’s Medal, as part of the Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project, for research that has delivered the most comprehensive and complex whole-of-basin water assessment ever undertaken in Australia
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 2008-

    One CSIRO Strategic Excellence Award, as part of the Murray-Darling Basin Sustainable Yields Project, for extraordinary effort in team effort and individual work realignment to successfully complete this landmark project
    CSIRO Land and Water

  • 1997-2000

    Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship
    John Curtin School of Medical Research, the Australian National Univeristy

  • 1991-1995

    National Science Foundation Fellowship
    Cornell University

Related links

Publications

We have publications by Dr Becky Schmidt

    Published data & software

    We have published items by Dr Becky Schmidt