Our CEO, Science General Managers and Science Leaders
Landcare Research has a new streamlined structure, which includes two Science General Managers and nine Science Leaders. This simplified structure is designed to improve our ability to tailor our research to the needs of our key clients and provide strong, inspirational scientific leadership.
We have organised our research teams to fall under two main science areas, Biological Systems and Environment and Society. In each of those two areas there are five specialist teams.
See also - Contacting our senior managers
Chief Executive
Richard Gordon
PhD (Biology), University of Cambridge
Richard became Chief Executive after five years as Science General Manager for Environment and Society. Prior to that, he held a dual role as Science Manager for Greenhouse Gases and Carbon Sinks, and Sustainable Business and Government. He led the latter team from vision and concept in 1999, developing a suite of new products (Enviro-Mark® NZ, E-Manage, EBEX21® and CarboNZeroCertTM) and creating the Building Capacity for Sustainable Development and Waka Tohu (Maori Business Branding) science programmes. Richard aims to engage research users and customers as partners and build lasting relationships. He sees the 2010 CRI reforms as a mandate for such relationships, especially those including science, government and business. Richard led the production of the 2000 Landcare Research Sustainable Development Report, and he was an elected member of the first Stakeholder Council of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). He is also a Board member of carboNZero Holdings Ltd and of Science New Zealand. His previous roles included R&D management positions at Zeneca Agrochemicals UK (now Syngenta) and ICI Japan.
Biological Systems
General Manager: Biological Systems
David Choquenot
PhD (Zoology), University of Sydney
David has wide experience in science and research management, most recently as Science Manager, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Processes with Landcare Research. Prior to that appointment, David was in charge of Fauna Ecology research for the Department of Sustainability and Environment in Victoria, Australia.
David's research interests centre on interactions between vertebrates and their environment, and he has worked extensively with both native and introduced species. David maintains a high science profile, having authored 64 refereed and 42 other publications.
He is currently a member of the Biodiversity Committee of the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Science Advisory Committees for Earthwatch Australia and the Dept. Conservation & Land Management in Western Australia, and chairs the board of the Centre for Biodiversity & Biosecurity¡ªa joint initiative of Landcare Research and the University of Auckland.
Biological Systems »
Science Leader: Biodiversity and Conservation
Lynley Hayes
MSc (Hons) Zoology, University of Canterbury
Lynley has been involved in the development of biological control for serious weeds in New Zealand for the last 20 years. She manages a programme of work which seeks, tests, imports and then releases approved weed biocontrol agents. She particular enjoys working with land managers to ensure that they are able to get the most out of biocontrol as soon as possible. Lynley is passionate about the importance of improving science communication, and has produced many publications aimed at general audiences, such as the quarterly newsletter ¡°What's New in Biological Control of Weeds?¡±. Lynley is a former president of the New Zealand Biosecurity Insitute.
Biodiversity and Conservation »
Science Leader: Biosystematics
Peter Buchanan
PhD (Botany), University of Auckland
Peter leads the Fungal and Bacterial Systematics Intermediate Outcome (OI) and was team leader for Auckland systematists. He holds positions of responsibility on the NZ Fungal Network, NZ Plant Conservation Network, and in forest biosecurity links with MAF. Peter is a key organiser of BioBlitz and the NZ Fungal Foray.
Peter has co-authored a number of books and numerous papers on fungi. He received the Science Communicator Award 2004 from the NZ Association of Scientists.
Biosystematics »
Science Leader: Ecosystem Processes
Rob Allen
PhD (Botany), University of North Carolina
Rob leads the Ecosystem Resilience Outcome Based Investment (OBI) and the Indigenous Forestry programme. His research focus includes forest dynamics and nutrient cycling, measuring biodiversity patterns and impacts of introduced herbivores on forests. He is one of the designers of the Indigenous Forest Carbon Monitoring System, and developed a team to undertake the significant Waitutu Forest Ecosystem study with DOC. Prior to that, Rob was Technical Manager for the Tongan NZODA Forestry Project as part of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) contract to Landcare Research.
Rob has 84 refereed publications. An international synthesis on Biological Invasions in New Zealand is due to be released next month.
Ecosystem Process »
Science Leader: Pest Control Technologies
Phil Cowan
PhD (Zoology), Australian National University
Phil was our previous Science Manager, Biosecurity and Pest Management. In that role, he managed relationships with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Animal Health Board (AHB) and Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA). He is on many major stakeholder committees, and has been a consultant and research contractor to the AHB, DoC, and MAF for 20 years.
Phil has published 120 refereed publications and 45 contract reports, and received a Royal Society Silver Science and Technology Medal for his major contribution to possum research.
Pest Control Technologies »
Science Leader: Wildlife Ecology and Epidemiology
Andrea Byrom
PhD (Zoology), University of British Columbia
Andrea began her career with Landcare Research in 1997 as a Postdoctoral Fellow, and she is now a Programme Leader for the Spatial Ecology and Modelling and Tb Epidemiology and Management programmes. Her research focuses on population ecology and dynamics, impacts and management of introduced wildlife. Andrea is President of the Australasian Wildlife Management Society.
Andrea has published papers on the ecology of small mammals and introduced predators, and she organised the 3rd International Wildlife Management Congress in 2003, which attracted nearly 1000 delegates from over 40 countries.
Wildlife Ecology and Epidemiology »
Environment and Society
Acting General Manager: Environment and Society
Alison Collins
PhD (Soils / Geomorphology), University of Nottingham
Alison was appointed to the Acting GM role of the Environment & Society Group on 4 July 2011. Prior to this she was Science Team Leader for Soils & Landscapes. Originally trained in geomorphology/soil science she has been increasingly focusing on science management and strategy. Alison will be combining the GM role with work on strategic initiatives around land resources and science futures.
Environment & Society »
Science Leaders: Sustainability and Society
This position is being shared in an acting capacity between Bob Frame (Lincoln) and Suzie Greenhalgh (Auckland) until later in 2011
Bob Frame
PhD (Electrical Engineering & Materials Physics), University of Strathclyde
Bob's speciality is in research and consulting in long tern futures, institutional development and strategic planning for sustainable development. Bob's interests are issues faced by society to achieve sustainable development, namely understanding sustainability, attitudes to it by individuals and organisations, and finding ways to work with the inherent complexity, uncertainty and value judgments. This includes development of a ¡°possibility space¡± in 20 ¨C 50 years and assessing options. Other aspects of governance for sustainability include assessment technologies, social marketing, and strategic planning. He works closely with government agencies, including the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Ministry for the Environment, and various regional authorities. Bob was previously a senior manager in the international donor community in Asia for 20 years; and, in the distant past, trained as an engineer/physicist but he now considers his research as 'transdisciplinary'.
Suzie Greenhalgh
PhD (Resource Economics), Ohio State University
Suzie's research specialities, spanning more than 20 years, include environmental markets, greenhouse gas accounting, environmental and agricultural policy, and economic valuation.
Suzie is currently Programme Leader for a 3-year MSI-funded programme: Freshwater values, monitoring and outcomes, which aims to significantly reduce the costs of freshwater management associated with the length of decision-making processes, collection and interpretation of monitoring data, and to significantly reduce the environmental impacts of delayed management action via a robust monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework that transparently incorporates stakeholder values. Before joining Landcare Research, Suzie worked at the World Resources Institute, an environmental policy think-tank in Washington DC. There she worked on a variety of issues, including performance mechanisms such as nutrient trading and reverse auctions, for improving water quality. She also developed accounting and reporting guidelines for greenhouse gas reduction projects for companies and project developers.
Sustainability and Society »
Science Leader: Global Change Processes
David Whitehead
PhD (Environmental Physiology), University of London
David leads the FRST Programme Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Terrestrial Biosphere and his specialist area of research is in measuring and modeling the biophysical regulation of carbon exchange for forest ecosystems. David also teaches at the University of Canterbury and Lincoln University, mentors students and judges at science fairs. He is also one of four invited judges for Environment Canterbury's biennial Resource Management Awards. David has a strong international publications record with 120 peer-reviewed papers and is a member of the Editorial Boards for Functional Ecology, Tree Physiology and New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science.
Global Change Processes »
Science Leader: Informatics
Robert Gibb
MSc (Astronomy), Victoria University of Wellington
Informatics »
Acting Science Leader: Soils & Landscapes
Craig Ross
PhD (Soils & Agronomy), Washington State University, USA; Dip Bus Studies - Dispute Resolution, Massey University
Craig has 39 years experience in soils research and consultancies, and is Acting Leader of the Soils and Landscape Responses Team. His research interests are minesite rehabilitation, recycling biowastes, management of soil physical conditions, soil survey/pedology, and soil carbon. He has published 38 refereed papers, 29 scientific reports, 118 contract reports, 58 popular articles and 130 conference papers.
Craig is a Companion of the Royal Society of NZ and former Councillor of the RSNZ, President of the NZ Institute of Agricultural Science, and member of a Ministerial Science Advisory Committee. He currently is a member of the PSA National Science Committee.
Soils and Landscapes »