Dr Gina Newton
AMSA Past President (2004-06),Public Officer
I first joined AMSA in 1986 as a postgrad student and in the next year was fortunate to be awarded the best student oral presentation (Townsville, 1987). I have always admired the strong focus and support given by the Association to its student members. In 2001 I published in AMSA's Bulletin my 'Tips for Top Talks' paper (also available on this website), aimed at helping students with their presentations, and I usually assist with judging student prizes at the annual conferences.Since those early days I have maintained a committed and active role in AMSA, both as an ordinary and a National Council member. I have been on National Council for the past sixteen years or so, mainly in the capacity of Assistant Secretary and Public Officer, then as Vice President and President 2004-2006. During this time Council has increasingly been called upon to make statements and comments on issues, events and policies of relevance to marine scientists and marine science in Australia. Some important examples being our submissions to the National Research Priority process in 2002, and the Oceans chapter of the IPCC report on Carbon Capture and Storage in 2005. AMSA's National Council also takes a very proactive role in Australian marine science issues, for example: the 1995 Conference and publication Toward a National Marine Science Policy for Australia (which proved an important resource for subsequent national marine policy development); Careers in Marine Science; and AMSA's statement and discussion papers, such as those on Taxonmy and on Marine Protected Areas. As VP, President and Past President, I have represented the Association and the interests of marine science at many national meetings and fora, such as the National Oceans Advisory Group (NOAG), the Oceans Policy Science Advisory Group (OPSAG), and the National Steering Committee for the Census of Marine Life (CoML) Australia.
My qualifications include: a BSc in Marine Biology and Zoology from James Cook University of North Queensland; an Honours degree (saltlake ecology) from the University of Adelaide; a PhD in Marine Ecology from Deakin University, Victoria; and an MSc in Science Communication from the Australian National University. My career has focused on the environmental science arena, with specific experience in the fields of Fisheries Science, Environmental Reporting, Science Communication, Science Policy,and more recently Climate Change Science and Adaptation, and Biodiversity Conservation.
My research experience covers a diversity of topics, ranging from temperate and tropical zooplankton ecology, to deep-sea fisheries and fisheries biology. Since 1987 I have worked for several Commonwealth Government agencies, in both a technical and policy capacity. For over eight years I undertook a research and policy advice role with the Bureau of Resource Sciences, working on six different Commonwealth managed fisheries. For five years I managed the Marine Theme and Communication Strategy for the National State of the Environment Reporting System, out of Environment Australia. I am committed to bridging the interface between science, policy and the community, including industry, and to this end I completed a Masters in Science Communication. This opportunity led me to combine a lifelong interest in creative writing, as my thesis concerned "Communicating Science through Children's Literature". I published my first children's picture book in March 2006.
After a couple of years working in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) arena, principally fostering the use of the online environment by government and business, and managing an associated grants program to support innovation, I spent another two years as Senior Science Policy Analyst with the Australian Academy of Science - a very rewarding role. I then spent a few years in the fast paced and challenging field of climate change science and adaptation, with the Department of Climate Change (formerly Australian Greenhouse Office). My role mainly focussed on pioneering a national assessment of Australia's coastal (and marine) vulnerability to climate change, but with periods also contributing to the agricultural and water reform agendas of the climate change challenge. I am currently enjoying working with the Commonwealth Environment Department (DEWHA) on the legislative conservation listing and protection of aquatic and marine ecological communities.