ProfessorRebecca Lester

Rebecca’s vision as a researcher to forge links between empirical, applied and theoretical research to create real-world impact. Her expertise combines applied and basic research, focusing on management of freshwater resources to enable better environmental outcomes while maintaining socioeconomic uses, particularly related to drought resilience and climate adaptation. Recently, Rebecca’s focus has extended into sustainable regional development. Her approach is to create enduring partnerships with managers and practitioners to improve real-world outcomes in partnership (e.g. 10+ year relationship with SA Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources [DWENR]) and to simultaneously contribute to the development of scientific theory (e.g. via ARC Discovery Projects) – a rarity among ecologists. Thus, she bring the very latest in scientific knowledge to her applied research, which has impact at state and national levels (e.g. via Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office) and internationally (e.g. Universities of Arizona USA, Oxford UK, Southwest China), where she lead collaborative projects (e.g. Discovery Project with Universities of Oxford & Arizona). To her scientific expertise, she add substantial and growing expertise in leadership.

Research impact:
Rebecca’s research has:
• shaped the ecological objectives in the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (e.g. for the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth and regarding how climate change and adaptation are incorporated), informed the position of the South Australian Government to that Plan and provided review of the science behind it;
• developed new methods for quantitatively assessing competing management actions (at local, state and national levels) and risk of ecosystem collapse;
• created tools for i) objectively quantifying the condition of aquatic ecosystems, ii) assessing the impact of future climates, iii) assessing the efficacy of proposed adaptation options and iv) forecasting the likelihood of meeting future targets; and
• identified opportunities for transformative investment in regions in Victoria and South Australia.
Her current research includes:
• building tools to enable managers to assess impacts of future climates and likely adaptation options;
• acting as lead knowledge broker for the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub;
• leading an ARC Discovery Project investigating the effects of a non-stationary environment on species persistence.