Dr Andrew Young: researching Australia's biodiversity

Dr Andrew Young is Director of the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity and Research (CANBR) at CSIRO Plant Industry.

• 5 October 2011 | Updated 14 October 2011

Overview

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Andrew Young's research centres in plant population genetics, population ecology and conservation biology. He is the Director of the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR).

His specific research interests include:

• inbreeding and outbreeding depression
• understanding of local adaptation
• hybridisation
• pollinator limitation.

Background

Dr Young joined CSIRO Plant Industry in 1993 after completing a doctoral degree in Carleton University, Canada investigating the ecology and genetics of beech-maple woodlands. 

He lead the Biodiversity and Sustainable Production program in Plant Industry until 2010 when he was appointed Director of CANBR, which includes the National Herbarium collection.

His research combines genetic and ecological approaches to understanding the viability of native plant populations in disturbed environments, specifically how Australia’s native plant biodiversity can be conserved within farming landscapes.

In addition to continuing his ecological research Dr Young supervises students from a number of Australian universities. 

Academic qualifications

Dr Young holds the following qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Botany, from the University of Auckland, 1986
• Master of Science in Botany, with First Class Honours, also from the University of Auckland,1988
• Doctor of Philosophy in Biology, from Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 1993.

Achievements

Dr Andrew Young holds an adjunct position at the Department of Botany and Zoology at the Australian National University and is on the editorial boards of:

• Biological Conservation
• Conservation Biology
• Conservation Genetics
• Genetica.

In 2003 he was awarded the Australian Academy of Sciences Fenner Medal for his work on the population genetics of self-incompatibility genes. He also won the CSIRO Newton-Turner Award in 2008 for demonstrated outstanding scientific achievement.

Dr Young has supervised a number of Honours and doctoral projects through:

• the University of Wollongong, New South Wales (NSW), Australia
• the University of New England, Armidale, NSW
• the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
• Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW.

He has published over 60 papers in refereed journals.

See a list of scientific papers published by Dr Young in his publishing history.