Inaugural Professorial Lecture - Professor Bruce Robertson

Bruce researches conservation genetics and wildlife management. He has contributed to the conservation of some of New Zealand’s most endangered iconic species. From using evolutionary theory to manipulate male-biased sex ratios in kākāpō to mitigating marine mammal bycatch in New Zealand commercial fisheries and defining eradication units in predator control, his research focus addresses a range of pressing wildlife management issues.

He is currently leading a Marsden-funded project exploring the genomic architecture of hatching failure in endangered birds (kākāpō and Hawaiian crow), continuing his long-term involvement with the genetic management of kākāpō. For more than 20 years, he has provided advice and research expertise to species recovery groups (kākāpō, kea, kōkako, black robin, New Zealand sea lion), governmental advisory groups and non-governmental conservation organisations. He has supervised more than 30 postgraduates to completion, including 19 PhD students and has more than 100 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.

This lecture will be followed with light refreshments, tea, coffee and juice.