Dana Bergstrom

Dana Bergstrom
Born 1962
Nationality Australia
Fields Antarctic ecology
Institutions Australian Antarctic Division
Alma mater Macquarie University
Website
Bergstrom at the Australian Antarctic Division

Dana Michelle Bergstrom is a senior researcher at the Australian Antarctic Division most notable for her work on identifying and mitigating risks against Antarctic and Sub Antarctic Ecosystems.

Early life and education

Bergstrom is from Sydney, Australia.[1] She went to Hunters Hill High School and undertook her undergraduate study at Macquarie University (Sydney). Her postgraduate study was also Macquarie University, where she completed a master's degree. Bergstrom travelled to Macquarie Island in 1983 for her Masters fieldwork, this made her one of the earliest female scientists to go south in the Australian Antarctic program for sustained field work.[2] She continued her focus on Macquarie Island to, researching holocene vegetation for her PhD which was awarded in 1985. Prior to working at the Antarctic Division, Bergstrom was a senior lecturer in ecology and botany at The University of Queensland.

Career and impact

Bergstrom is an applied Antarctic ecologist and a Principal Research Scientist with the Australian Antarctic Division where she co-ordinates terrestrial and near-shore research.[3] Her research focuses on identifying risks to Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic ecosystems and finding solutions to mitigating such risks. During the International Polar Year she led the "Aliens in Antarctica" program[4][5] and she has played a major leadership roles in the SCAR Regional Sensitivities to Climate Change (RISCC)[6] and Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica programs.[7] The Aliens in Antarctica project resulted in major changes to how most national programs and tourist operators manage biosecurity in Antarctica[8][9] particularly with regards to cleaning gear to avoid carrying seeds to Antarctica. As Bergstrom put it, “the people that were carrying the most had lots and lots of seeds. They really were substantial threats.”[10]

Bergstrom has published extensively on Antarctic science and is well recognised for her highly influential work in the invasive species field,[11][11][12][13] for quantifying the effects of cat eradication on Macquarie Island[14][15] and for her abundant work on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic plant ecology and threats. Bergstrom is also a champion of improving biosecurity efforts in the Antarctic (e.g. ‘Aliens in Antarctica’ program).[5] She was on the design team for the Cargo and Biosecurity Centre at Hobart’s Macquarie Wharf (Australia’s gateway to the Antarctic).

Bergstrom was the Australian delegate to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research from 2011-2015. Bergstrom has been the Australian national representative for the SSG-LS (SCAR standing group - life sciences.[16] She was also the chair of the National Antarctic Research Committee at the Australian Academy of Sciences (2011-2014), where she was key to fostering engagement with various national and international Antarctic organisations. Bergstrom is active in providing mentoring and training for early career researchers.[17]

Bergstrom invests heavily in public outreach of Antarctic science, where she promotes the global importance of Antarctic ecosystems and researching in the Antarctic. She has been interviewed numerous times for paper, television and radio interviews.[11][12][14][14] Bergstrom founded the ‘Pure Antarctic Foundation,[18] a non-for-profit organisation with the overarching goal to bring Antarctica to the world, via an immersive cultural and scientific experience. She championed the efforts to install sub-Antarctic displays in the Royal Hobart Botanic gardens and Australian National Botanic Gardens in order for the public to be able to experience the unique flora of remote sub-Antarctic islands.[19]

Bergstrom is the book author of "Antarctica", a new musical, which premiers in Hobart in October 2016' in Hobart at the Theatre Royal. The show aims to foster an appreciation for Antarctic ecosystems.[20][21]

Selected works

References

  1. ↑ "Biologist - Dana Bergstrom". classroom.antarctica.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  2. ↑ "The holocene vegetation history of Green Gorge, Macquarie Island [manuscript] / Dana Michelle Bergstrom. - Version details". Trove. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  3. ↑ "Dr Dana Bergstrom". www.antarctica.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  4. ↑ Huiskes, Ad H. L.; Gremmen, Niek J. M.; Bergstrom, Dana M.; Frenot, Yves; Hughes, Kevin A.; Imura, Satoshi; Kiefer, Kate; Lebouvier, Marc; Lee, Jennifer E. (2014-03-01). "Aliens in Antarctica: Assessing transfer of plant propagules by human visitors to reduce invasion risk". Biological Conservation. 171: 278–284. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2014.01.038.
  5. 1 2 "On Guard Against an Alilen Invasion" (PDF). heardisland.org/. Australian Antarctic Magazine. 2008. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  6. ↑ "Regional Sensitivity to Climate Change in Antarctic Terrestrial Ecosystems [RiSCC]: the periantarctic region". data.aad.gov.au. 2000-11-10. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  7. ↑ "Contact". eba.aq. Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  8. ↑ "Weeding out the aliens in Antarctica". www.antarctica.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  9. ↑ "ATS - Non-native Species - Context". www.ats.aq. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  10. ↑ "'Alien' Invasion Puts Antarctica At Risk". The Huffington Post. 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  11. 1 2 3 "Alien seeds invade Antarctica". 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  12. 1 2 "Catalyst: Antarctic Aliens - ABC TV Science". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  13. ↑ "Alien Plant Invasion Threatens Antarctic Ecosystem: Researchers". International Business Times UK. 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  14. 1 2 3 "Macquarie Island: ecological progress with challenges ahead". Radio National. 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  15. ↑ "When the cat's away rabbits devastate island sanctuary". www.smh.com.au. The Sydney Morning Herald. 2009. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  16. ↑ User, Super. "Membership". www.scar.org. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  17. ↑ Oceania, Apecs (2013-06-07). "APECS Oceania: Free Leadership in Science Workshop, 28 June 2013, Hobart". APECS Oceania. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  18. ↑ "Pure Antarctic". Pure Antarctic. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  19. ↑ "UQ research pulls delicious plants out of the sub-Antarctic fridge". UQ News. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  20. ↑ "Home". Antarctica. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  21. ↑ "Antarctica". Tasmanian Theatre Company. Retrieved 2016-06-04.

External links


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