Kristine French is an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

plant biologist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

who is a professor at the

University of Wollongong The University of Wollongong (abbreviated as UOW) is an Australian public research university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney. As of 2017, the university had an enrolment of ...

, where she has directed the Janet Cosh Herbarium since 1992. She is known for researching the

ecology Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

s, studying

urban ecology Urban ecology is the scientific study of the relation of living organisms with each other and their surroundings in an urban environment. An urban environment refers to environments dominated by high-density residential and commercial buildings ...

and "endangered species and

forest ecology Forest ecology is the scientific study of the interrelated patterns, processes, flora, fauna and ecosystems in forests. The management of forests is known as forestry, silviculture, and forest management. A forest ecosystem is a natural woodland u ...

Education

French gained her B.Sc. (Hons) from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

in 1984. She earned her doctorate from

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

in 1989. Her thesis is entitled "Fruit/bird interactions in wet sclerophyll forest in Australia: the influence of fruit characteristics and the role of birds as seed disposal agents".

Career

French is a professor at the Institute of Conservation Biology of the

. She has directed the university's Janet Cosh Herbarium since 1992. She served as president of th
Ecological Society of Australia
in 2011–13. She initiated a collaborative project, th
Ecosystem Science Long-Term Plan
including the

Australian Academy of Science The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The academy is modelled after the Royal Soci ...

and the Terrestrial Environmental Research Network, which resulted in the publication of the report "Foundations for the future: A long-term plan for Australian ecosystem science", an advisory document for government. She has served on the group's steering committee since 2013. As of 2016, she also serves on the National Committee for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation of the

(since 2012), the Advisory Committee of the Australian Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (since 2011) and the Birds in Backyards Steering Committee (since 2000). The Birds in Backyards project won a national

Eureka Prize The Eureka Prizes are awarded annually by the Australian Museum, Sydney, to recognise individuals and organizations who have contributed to science and the understanding of science in Australia. They were founded in 1990 following a suggestion ...

in 2008. In addition to the Ecological Society of Australia, French is also a member of th
NSW Weed SocietyBirdlife Australia
and the

Society for Conservation Biology The Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) is an 501(c)(3) non-profit international professional organization that is dedicated to conserving biodiversity. There are over 4,000 members worldwide, including students and those in related non-academ ...

. She has been a Handling Editor of the academic journal ''

Conservation Biology Conservation biology is the study of the conservation of nature and of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an int ...

'' since 2011.

References

External links

Women of Impact profile

Research Data Australia

National Library Australia
{{DEFAULTSORT:French, Kristine 20th-century Australian women scientists 20th-century Australian botanists Monash University alumni University of Sydney alumni Academic staff of the University of Wollongong Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Australian botanists Living people