The University of Queensland will honour Steve Irwin’s contribution to crocodile research and wildlife conservation with a free public lecture at the St Lucia campus on November 14.
UQ crocodile specialist Professor Craig Franklin, a friend and colleague to Steve, will deliver the public lecture titled “Tracking Crocodiles in 3 Dimensions” on the eve of the first Steve Irwin Day.
Professor Franklin’s lecture will focus on the collaborative ARC Linkage Project research partnership between UQ, Australia Zoo - Steve Irwin, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) that aims to better understand the behaviour of crocodiles.
The team’s first satellite tracking study of wild crocodiles used a specially-designed transmitter attached to the back of the crocodile’s head that collected data and relayed it via satellite back to the scientists.
UQ will also honour Steve with the presentation of the posthumous Steve Irwin Adjunct Professorship in UQ’s School of Integrative Biology.
Professor Franklin said the presentation would be particularly moving as Steve had passed away before the honour could be presented.
“Notification of the honour was waiting for Steve at Australia Zoo but sadly he never returned to find out the good news,” Professor Franklin said.
“This presentation now gives us the opportunity to publicly recognise his remarkable contribution to research and conservation.”
Terri Irwin AM will attend the public lecture event to accept the posthumous Steve Irwin Adjunct Professorship from the University.
“I am very proud because this honours Steve as a scientist in his own right and recognises Steve’s ongoing research work,” Mrs Irwin said.
Details of the public lecture event are as follows:
Time: 5pm for 5.30pm
When: Wednesday, November 14
Where: Auditorium, Institute for Molecular Bioscience
Chancellors Place, The University of Queensland
St Lucia
RSVPs are essential to claim entry tickets. Guests should quote their name, address details and the number of tickets required to events@bacs.uq.edu.au.
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Jan King, Media Manager: 07 3365 1120
Karissa Douglass, Marketing Manager: 07 3346 9498
