The Box

Andy Sheppard is a Research Director at CSIRO Health & Biosecurity leading the Managing Invasive Species & Diseases Research Program of about 50 research projects and 80 staff aiming to deliver sustainable benefits to society and the environment by reducing impacts of invasive organisms & other potential biological threats. Andy joined CSIRO in 1986 at the CSIRO European Laboratory in France and moved to Canberra, Australia in 1991. His science career is based on the population ecology and plant-insect interactions within the context of bioloogical invasions in Australia and their management through biological control. His research has included the use of population management evolutionary models that have advanced theory on biological invasions. More recently he has published on risk analysis and in other areas of biosecurity research. He continues his research on biological invasions through native exotic range comparisons. He has led CSIRO research Programs and Themes on the ecological management of national priority weeds and other invasive species and biosecurity risk assessment and on Terrestrial Biodiversity to provide the scientific data, tools and integrating knowledge to support Australia in achieving strategic biodiversity conservation goals and targets, with measurable benefits in terrestrial biodiversity resilience, ecosystem services and community ownership of biodiversity conservation. He is also the Director of CSIRO's European laboratory.