Ms Kate Cranney

https://people.csiro.au/c/k/kate-cranney

Biography

I am a science communicator, scientist and artist.

As a Communications Advisor with the Land and Water, and Energy areas of CSIRO. I deliver communications campaigns, liaise with the media, work with scientists to create communications materials, and develop content on the teams' research.

I hold a Master of Science (with Distinction) from the University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Law (Hons)/ Environmental Science from Griffith University. I have a background in botany, law, digital story-telling, community natural resource management, quantitative ecology, private conservation and fine art. See www.katecranney.com

Other Interests

Drawing, running, reading and bushwalking. I grew up on a sheep and cattle property in western Queensland, and am drawn to working in remote, beautiful parts of Australia.

Academic Qualifications

2016

Master of Science (with Distinction) (Majoring in botany and science communication)
University of Melbourne, Victoria
2010

Bachelor of Law (Honours)/ Bachelor of Science (Environment)
Griffith University, Queensland.

Achievements and Awards

2018-2018

International Fellowship on Science Communication
International Specialised Skills Institute and the George Alexander Foundation
2016-2016

OEH/ ESA Prize for Outstanding Outreach in Science
NSW Office of Environment and Heritage/ Ecological Society of Australia

Grants

2014-2015

Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (for my Masters project at Boolcoomatta Reserve)
2018-2018

International Fellowship on Science Communication (through ISSI and GAF, see above)

Other highlights

2016-2018

Working with the women rangers from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Visiting PNG and Arnavon Community Marine Park (the first national park in the Solomon Islands), before helping to bring 50+ of these leaders together for a week of training in Brisbane, for 'Nature's Leading Women'.
2015-2016

Field research and reporting in the Simpson Desert in far west Queensland. I was the 'reporter in the field' for Bush Heritage, interviewing, filming and writing stories about the research done by the University of Sydney. It was hot, sandy, fun, dawn-to-dusk science.
2009-2009

Climbing tall trees for science. I worked for a month in the rainforests of Queensland and Borneo, collecting and sorting samples of insects for the Smithsonian Institute's global insect biodiversity study, ‘IBISCA’.

Professional Experiences

2016-2018

Communications Coordinator, Melanesia Program
The Nature Conservancy
2015-2016

Science Communicator
Bush Heritage Australia
2015-2017

Research Assistant (Entomology, field ecology)
RMIT University
2012-2013

Policy Officer with the Torres Strait Islander Rangers
Torres Strait Regional Authority
2007-2012

Policy Officer with the Water Allocation and Planning group
Department of Natural Resources and Mines (Queensland)