Don Beer Memorial Lecture 2024 - Dr Rebecca Pirzl ‘Bending the biodiversity curve’

Rebecca will provide perspectives on achieving transformational change to conserve biodiversity in striving for nature restoration and a nature positive future.

Biography  

Dr Rebecca Pirzl has worked in science and organisational leadership roles across research, government and business, and was appointed to oversee the ANBG in October 2023. In her role as Branch Head for Science and ANBG with Parks Australia, she has responsibility for strategic science planning and partnerships for the Commonwealth’s terrestrial, marine and island protected areas, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research/Australian National Herbarium joint venture with CSIRO, the National Seed Bank, the Australian Biological Resources Study and the Office of the Chief Remote Pilot. She joined DCCEEW after 10 years at CSIRO, where she led an interdisciplinary research group in sustainability science, and worked on biodiversity assessment and approaches to achieve nature positive. Her prior experience includes private consulting, green technology commercialisation and roles in government in oceans policy and protected area joint management. Rebecca has a background in ecology, systems thinking and Indigenous partnerships and is committed to facilitating scientific research for real world outcomes. Her other governance roles include member of the Steering Committees for NESP Resilient Landscapes and Marine and Coastal Hubs, Advisory Board of the Atlas of Living Australia, and the Steering Committee for Bush Blitz.

Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CTFXC

Booking
Lunchtime talks are held at 12.30 pm every Thursday from February to November. Talks last for 1 hour. We welcome donations by gold coins, notes, or electronically. The Friends use donations received at each talk to support Gardens’ programs and development and we thank all those who have donated. 

Unless otherwise indicated, talks are held in the ANBG Theatrette.

It is a good idea to reserve a seat at the talks that you wish to attend; talks may be booked out very quickly.  Bookings can be made from about 30 days in advance until the night before the talk or until seating limits are reached. 

Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/CTFXC

The Friends of the ANBG thank the speakers who volunteer their time and talents to further the knowledge of all attending events in the Gardens. Many summaries or PowerPoint presentations of Thursday talks are available to Friends at the ANBG library. Please direct queries about the talks to the Thursday Talks Team: email talks@friendsanbg.org.au.