Australian Antarctic Division ecologist Dr Dana Bergstrom has won the 2021 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Leadership in Innovation and Science.
For 36 years, Dr Bergstrom has championed evidence-based conservation science in biodiversity, biosecurity, and impacts of climate change on ecosystems in Antarctica and on sub-Antarctic islands.
Dr Bergstrom, who received the award at a virtual ceremony tonight, said she is thrilled to be recognised for her scientific career.
«This is such a huge honour and one I never expected to receive for my passion to protect and conserve fragile ecosystems », Dr Bergstrom said.
Dr Bergstrom began her Antarctic career as a Masters student in 1983 and has been south for her research more than 20 times. «To study a place that’s gone through many ice ages and understand how the plants and animals survive will help us predict what might happen to our climate into the future ». Dr Bergstrom’s work has led to improvements in biosecurity and preventing alien species ‘hitchhiking’ to Antarctica.
“The huge international project, involving 23 nations and tourism operators, identified how invasive species were accidently being taken to Antarctica on ships and planes.”
Read more at: https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2021/antarctic-ecologist-wins-eureka-prize/
Thanks and credit to AAD & Australian Antarctic Proogram