Welcome! I currently work as a Senior Lecturer at Central Queensland University (Adelaide campus), where I lecture in psychology and research dingoes and the human-animal relationship. For more details about my research please see my 'Research' page. I am also a category B member of the CQUniversity Animal Ethics Committee, and Chair of the Undergraduate Psychology Course Reference Committee.

​​

National and international reputation relating to the Australia dingo

I have established a national and international reputation as a leading expert on the Australian dingo, with contributions spanning morphology, cognition, behaviour, human–dingo interactions, and wildlife management. My research has advanced understanding of the dingo’s unique ecological and evolutionary significance, both as a native apex predator and as a globally distinctive canid. This work has informed conservation strategies and public discourse, demonstrating that dingo conservation is not only ecologically important but also achievable through evidence-based management. This reputation is reflected in my publications, inclusion on panels, boards and committees, invited talks, leadership of research teams, and strong media engagement.

​

Publications with ‘bite’

I have a strong and sustained record of research dissemination, with consistent outputs across peer-reviewed journals, books, chapters, and conference proceedings. Since my first publication in 2009, I have published 91 peer-reviewed journal articles and a total of 115 research outputs, including 1 sole-authored book, 2 edited books, 17 book chapters, and 4 refereed conference papers. This equates to an average of 5.7 journal articles per year, and 7.2 total research outputs per year across my 16-year career as a balanced academic.

​

My work is highly cited in relation to the disciplines in which I publish. According to Scopus, my h-index is 21 (1526 citations from 83 documents), and with Google Scholar, my h-index is 29 (2880 citations), i10 index of 68. I have 5 papers cited over 100 times, and 1 > 200.

​

Many of my publications have generated strong engagement both within and beyond academia, as reflected in their Altmetric Attention Scores (AS). I have been the lead author on seven papers with AS scores exceeding 200, placing them in the top 5% of all research outputs tracked by Altmetric and marking them as papers of high public and media interest. The highest-scoring paper, on human–animal co-sleeping (AS: 638), ranks in the top 1% globally. Other highly ranked publications include: Dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction (AS: 495, #10 in Veterinary Record), Dingo–human interaction on K’gari (AS: 279, #3 in Australian Mammalogy), Non-lethal deterrents for dingoes (AS: 272, #6 in Pacific Conservation Biology), Taxonomic status of dingoes (AS: 219). Across all 86 publications (see Appendix C), my average AS is 46, indicating a consistently high level of reach and relevance. My articles have 76,664 article reads on Research Gate (Interest Score of 1773- higher than 95% of all members). These figures reflect my commitment to producing research that resonates across academic, policy, and public domains.

 

I have led several noteworthy projects relating to the dingo and wildlife that bring together large interdisciplinary teams of global leaders to produce highly impactful outcomes. These include:

• Two of my papers are scientific ‘firsts’. In 2012 I published the first case study of tool use in wild canids. In 2013, I published the first description of a wild dingo reacting to the death of a conspecific.

• In 2022, I published an edited book for CSIRO Publishing (Wildlife Research in Australia: A practical guide) as the lead editor. The reference guide covers all the techniques used to ethically study Australia’s wildlife. It was inspired by my role on the CQU Animal Ethics Board, as I quickly saw a need for such general operating procedures to be standardised. The book is 400,000 words long, involved 238 authors contributing to 38 chapters. The book subsequently won the 2023 Whitley Award for best Zoological Resource

• In 2015, I published an edited book relating to the dingo (The Dingo Debate) for CSIRO Publishing. I was the lead author of 8 chapters and invited several key academics to prepare chapters in line with their expertise on the dingo. A follow-up dingo book (Dingo Unleashed) is due for release in early 2026.

• In 2019, I led a team of 26 national and international scientists on a paper in the journal Zootaxa, discussing the taxonomic status of the dingo (76 citations). This is a highly debated subject, but I was able to accommodate the many divisive views and backgrounds. This also resulted in two articles for ‘The Conversation’ that have over 70,000 views, and a letter in ‘Science’.

 

Scientific Director, The Australian Dingo Foundation (ADF)

After many years of conducting research at the ADF and assisting the foundation in the study and conservation of dingoes, I was invited to join the board of directors as the scientific director of the Australian Dingo Foundation (ADF) in 2014. The ADF is a Commonwealth-recognised not-for-profit environmental organisation that is involved in key conservation activities and government consultation related to dingoes, and also runs an associated dingo sanctuary (Dingo Discovery and Research Centre). In this position, I provide strategic direction to the activities of the foundation, and oversee, assist and foster research that occurs at the dingo sanctuary. In 2018 I initiated and oversaw an annual student research scholarship opportunity (Macintosh Grant).

 

Member of The IUCN 'dingo working group'

In 2020 I was invited to become a member of the inaugural ‘Dingo Working Group’, under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species Survival Commission, Canid Specialist Group. The IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. This places dingoes on the world stage, and provides a platform for creating change, collaborations, and research in relation to the Australian dingo.

​

Editorial advisory board member of an international journal

The journal ‘Anthrozoos: A multidisciplinary journal of the interactions of people and animals’ published by Taylor and Francis, is the most highly respected journal in the area of human-animal interactions and anthrozoology (Q1; 2024-25 Impact Factor of 2.49). In 2017 I was invited by the Editor in Chief to join the editorial advisory board. This reflects my international contributions to the field in relation to human-animal research. I also regularly act as an ad-hoc reviewer for over 20 interdisciplinary national and international journals (can be provided upon request).

 

Invited keynote and speaker addresses

Since 2015, I have delivered 9 invited presentations, including 4 keynote or featured addresses, and an additional 9 presentations at national and international conferences. These invitations reflect my national reputation and disciplinary expertise in wildlife behaviour, dingo ecology, and animal ethics. Recent highlights include invited talks at the South Australian Ranger Association’s 12th Annual Migration (2024), the Indigenous Desert Alliance Ranger Coordinators Meeting (2023), the Wild Dog Aboriginal Art Exhibition public program panel (2022), the Australia and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association (ANZLAA) Annual Conference (2021), and a presentation and 3 publications at a special forum on the dingo hosted by the Royal Zoological Society of NSW (2019).

 

Conference organising committees

In recognition of my expertise and leadership in the field, I have been invited to serve on several national and international conference organising committees, for example: ANZCCART Conference (2025, Brisbane): Invited committee member for the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching conference. I also chaired a high-level discussion panel on the controversial use of 1080 poison, facilitating open, evidence-based dialogue. First Nations Dingo Forum (2023, Cairns): Worked closely with First Nations leaders to co-organise the event, took a key role in drafting the First Nations Dingo Declaration, respond to community feedback, and lead discussions that culminated in its formal adoption. Also resulted in an article published in The Conversation. ISAZ Annual Conference (2018, Sydney): One of a small team of Australian academics who successfully bid for and organised the first International Society for Anthrozoology conference in the southern hemisphere. I instigated and oversaw the inclusion of 11 symposia, now a permanent

​

Consulting activities

I am regularly engaged as an expert advisor on dingo behaviour, care, and management across a range of sectors. I have consulted with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (K’gari), Newcrest Mining (Telfer Mine), and wildlife institutions including Adelaide Zoo and Cleland Wildlife Park. In 2025, I contributed expert content to Australian Mammals: Biology and Captive Management, focusing on dingo care in captivity. In 2022 I was an expert consultant for Humane Society International for their guidebook relating to ‘Predator Smart Farming’. I serve as an advisor on dingoes for AMRRIC, supporting One Health initiatives in remote Indigenous communities, and was invited to join the Myall Lakes Dingo Project (MLDP) as lead behavioural expert to support human–dingo conflict management. I also contributed to two Victorian Government–Wotjobaluk Nation Dingo Discussions in rural Victoria (2023–2024), offering scientific and cultural insight on co-management in the Big Desert–Wyperfeld region. My expertise is also sought in media, including for documentary files (such as in 2020, I advised Offspring Films on dingo hunting behaviour for the BBC/Netflix documentary Earth at Night.

​

Media communication and science communication

My research is frequently covered by the television, print and radio media, and I am regularly asked to provide expert commentary on various issues relating to dingoes, dogs, and the human-animal relationship. I maintain a strong desire to communicate science and achieve as much real-world impact as I can for my research. See Media page.