DrJesse M. Rubenstein

I am a quantitative ecologist specialising in avian movement ecology, wildlife disease and biosecurity. In Marcel Klaassen’s lab, I am developing spatial models for the next phase of AviFluMap, assessing the risk that high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 poses to Australia’s wild birds. My work focuses on how waterbirds and seabirds move and interact across the continent, how the virus could spread through these communities, and which species and regions are most at risk, to help target surveillance and mitigation.

My research draws on spatial modelling, species distribution models, Bayesian and hierarchical statistics and citizen science to turn large tracking and surveillance datasets into practical insights for wildlife managers, policy makers and other stakeholders. Citizen science is a particular passion of mine. Having used eBird since 2009, and in my research for over a decade, I am keen to combine eBird and other citizen science data with tracking and surveillance data to better understand bird distributions, movements and disease risk at continental scales.

Before joining Deakin, I completed a PhD in ecology at Lincoln University, New Zealand, on biosecurity risks from invasive and herbicide resistant weeds in the global crop seed trade. I analysed large scale national and international seed inspection datasets to identify persistent and emerging threats, working closely with government agencies, international seed testing authorities and industry to inform regulation and inspection protocols.

I also hold master’s degrees in Geographic Information Science (University at Buffalo) and Environmental Science (Rochester Institute of Technology), where I integrated eBird data into habitat suitability models for declining songbirds such as the Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera). My earlier roles include teaching GIS and eBird workshops through a faculty appointment at the University of Connecticut, coordinating postgraduate programmes for Better Border Biosecurity (B3) in New Zealand, and conducting avian field research across the Americas, including leading surveys in Ecuador’s cloud forests that contributed to a landmark rights of nature case halting mining at Los Cedros Biological Reserve.