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Karen Edyvane

(Her/She)
Honorary Associate Professor (Marine Conservation & Management), Charles Darwin University

Professor Karen Edyvane is an applied marine ecologist, with expertise in ocean conservation, resource sustainability, governance, planning and integrated ecosystem-based management. As a senior government scientist, Karen has led major marine biodiversity conservation (Marine Protected Areas, Giant Kelp, large-scale marine habitat mapping, marine bioregionalisations), and impact assessment/pollution (ocean plastics, fishing debris, heavy metals) monitoring programs in South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

At the State/Territory (and national) level this has included developing technical and policy frameworks for marine biodiversity conservation, State of the Environmental Reporting and also, identifying, designing and implementing individual MPAs and MPA networks. Including planning and establishing the Great Australian Bight Marine Park in South Australia; and in Tasmania, leading and undertaking the first formal conservation and threat assessment of Giant Kelp forests.

Since 2006, Karen's marine research interests have primarily focused on northern Australia and the Arafura and Timor Seas region (ie. Timor-Leste and Indonesia) - with a focus on coastal sustainability, climate change, Indigenous livelihood development and improving ocean governance.

Karen is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and a UN-recognised 'global ocean expert' on the Arafura and Timor Seas. As an experienced international development consultant she has undertaken a wide range of marine conservation, sustainability and livelihood development projects, particularly in Timor-Leste and Indonesia - including with the United Nations (FAO, UNDP), World Bank, USAID and Asian Development Bank. Most recently, leading and conducting UN-funded Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) environmental, socio-economic and governance assessments and transboundary diagnostic analyses (TDAs) for the Indonesian Seas and the Arafura-Timor Seas.

Karen has held former full-time research and teaching appointments at James Cook University, the University of Adelaide and Charles Darwin University. And since 2012, has been a Visiting Professor at the Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e (Timor-Leste).

Experience

  • 2014–present
    Associate professor, Australian National University
  • 2012–present
    Adjunct professor, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e
  • 2006–2014
    Adjunct professor, Charles Darwin University

Education

  • 1990 
    University of Adelaide, PhD
  • 1982 
    University of Tasmania, Hons
  • 1981 
    University of Tasmania, BSc

Professional Memberships

  • Australian Marine Sciences Association