People

Professor Gerry Cassis
School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)
University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia

As an entomologist Gerry has worked on the taxonomy of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) over his entire career, especially focussing on collecting and describing the diverse and unknown Australian fauna. Based at CSIRO in Canberra, the Australian Museum in Sydney and now at the University of New South Wales, Gerry has directed research groups and international research project collaborations and his work has taken him all over the world, initially completing his PhD in Oregon, USA.

Gerry is committed to training the next generation of insect taxonomists and to disseminating entomological knowledge more widely, including communicating the importance of systematics in science for biodiversity conservation, biosecurity and agricultural sustainability and management.

Role in this project: Project leader, Australia
Web: http://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/gerry-cassis

Dr Sim Sar (PhD)
Programme Director - Agricultural Systems
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), PNG

Dr Sim Sar is the Programme Director for Agricultural Systems. The programme covers the core business of NARI's which focuses on Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D).

Dr Sar has skills and experiences in entomology and as well as in research management. He has served over 30 years initially as Entomologist with Research Division - Department of Agriculture and Livestock and since then with National Agricultural Research Institute as Principle Entomologist and in research management.

Role in this project: PNG project leader

Dr Chris Reid
Principal Research Scientist
Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia

Chris' entomological work has focused on the taxonomy of the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae both in Australia and worldwide. Prior to his role at the Australian Museum, Chris worked at CSIRO in Canberra and as a lecturer at James Cook University in Townsville. As well as being a world authority on leaf beetle systematics, Chris is also a very knowledgeable and experienced field biologist and general entomologist, which he has applied to teaching and in his contribution to the development of the training materials for this project.

Role in this project: Project entomologist
Web: http://australianmuseum.net.au/staff/chris-reid

Dr Grahame Jackson
Grahame has worked for national governments, regional organisations and international organisations for 45 years, mostly in the Pacific but also in south Asia. His interests are the insect pests and diseases of the Pacific, safe transfer of staple food crop germplasm between countries and how services to farmers can be maintained against declining support to agriculture. He is Chair of PestNet a free email service for plant protection established in 1999.

Role in this project: Pacific insect pest advisory and outreach services

Associate Professor Wendy Shaw
School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)
University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia

Wendy is a human geographer and social scientist who often collaborates with scientists in research projects in a range of fields, applying social science methods and analyses to transform and inform project outcomes. Wendy has previously worked in Papua New Guinea with Coffee Industry Corporation PNG, and colleagues from UNSW on postharvest processing and storage of coffee in Papua New Guinea (ACIAR PHT/2004/017), and with CABI International looking at the effects of the Coffee Green Scale on coffee production and communities in the PNG highlands (PHT/2004/047 and ASEM/2010/051).

Role in the project: Monitoring and evaluation of training workshops
Web: http://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/wendy-shaw

Celia Symonds
School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)
University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia

Celia is a biologist with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology, Honours in Biological Sciences (Entomology) and around 15 years of experience working in entomology, first with the University of Sydney Department of Medical Entomology and Parramatta Council in Sydney on mosquito monitoring and then since at the Australian Museum and University of New South Wales on a range of projects including insect ecological studies, collections databasing and imaging, and the taxonomy of true bugs (plant bugs, lace bugs and seed bugs) in Australia. Celia's roles have also included management of entomological collections, lots of fieldwork, research project management and also natural resource management and restoration projects in collaboration with landscape architects, applying science to landscape conservation and restoration.

Role in the project: Project manager

Hannah Mathews
School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)

University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia

Hannah is a scientific illustrator with a double degree in Arts and science, and an Honours in Scientific illustration both from the University of Newcastle, Australia. She has been working as an illustrator for around 18 years, firstly in the Herpetology section of the Australian Museum and then moving into the entomology department there. Since then she has been at the University of New South Wales working on a range of entomology projects mostly associated with the taxonomy of true bugs. Her work includes dissecting and illustrating insects and producing plates ready for use in scientific publications and the web. She has also more recently been involved in the photography of insects for use in publications.

Role in the project: Illustrating and photography for the project training manual

Mike Burleigh
Visual Resource Developer

Mike studied illustration at the University of Newcastle, Australia, where he received First Class Honours developing a pest identification guide for Timor Leste while volunteering at the Australian Museum. Mike has since worked for the Australian Museum, University of New South Wales, and Australian Geographic, including website and mobile application development.

Role in the project: Illustrator and graphic designer
Web: www.mikehb.com

Clementine Sesega
Cadet, Entomology
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), PNG

Clementine is working as collections manager of the National Agricultural Insect Collection (NAIC) in Kilakila, Port Moresby following graduation from University of Papua New Guinea with honours studying entomology. Clementine's honours research looked at the Lepidopteran fauna of figs in PNG forests along an altitudinal gradient, while based at the New Guinea Binatang Research Centre in Madang. Clementine completed three week entomological collections management training in Sydney at the Australian Museum and University of New South Wales under this project.

Role in the project: PNG NAIC collections manager

Benjamin Niangu
Research Associate, Entomology
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Southern Regional Centre, Laloki, PNG

Benjamin has been working for NARI and prior to its formation, the DAL (Department of Agriculture and Livestock) in entomology. Benjamin has been involved in field trials, surveys and monitoring and works in cross disciplinary and organisational entomological projects with other agencies such as NAQIA (National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority).

Role in this project: Project logistics and support in PNG

Fidelis Hela
Research Associate, Crop Protection
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Islands Regional Centre, Keravat, PNG

Fidelis has professional qualifications in agricultural studies from Vudal and Popondetta Agricultural Colleges and began his career as an entomological research technician with DAL (Department of Agriculture and Livestock) prior to the creation of NARI. Fidelis' career progressed to working in various management roles overseeing centre resources and operations at NARI stations in Keravat, Mt Hagen and Bubia, Lae, and has further qualifications in human resource management from Divine World University. Fidelis has returned to his first passion entomology, as a Research Associate at the NARI station in Keravat, East New Britain. Fidelis is currently involved in research into the lifecycle of beetles affecting the growth of Canarium nut trees in Keravat, as part of a program looking at the growth and processing of this nut for commercial markets.

Role in this project: Project logistics and support in PNG

Pascal Pandau
Research Associate, Weeds Biological Control Programme
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Momase Regional Centre, Bubia, Lae, PNG

Pascal has been with NARI for almost 18 years doing entomological related work related to tropical agricultural crop pests and diseases and weed biocontrol research and management. Pascal has worked with CSIRO & ANIC on insect collection, preservation and identification, taro beetle, fruit fly and locust and grasshopper monitoring and survey programmes, and survey and monitoring of various crops such as aibika and betel nut for pests and diseases.

Specific projects Pascal has been involved with include: the tropical weed biological control programme for the management of Salvinia molesta and water hyacinth in PNG; study of international banana hybrids and varieties resistant to Sigatoka Leaf Disease, tested under high rainfall conditions around Bubia, Morobe Province; development of x4 hybrid NARI taro varieties, resistant to Taro Leaf Blight (TLB); and development of training programmes for rural farmers and stakeholders with the introduction of NARI released technologies to farmers in rural areas of Papua New Guinea.

Role in this project: Project logistics and support in PNG

Bridgit Samor
Admin. Assistant
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), PNG

Bridgit works for NARI in Lae as an administrative assistant. Bridgit has managed communications and assisted in logistics and planning for the project workshops in PNG.

Role in this project: Project coordination and administration in PNG