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On 4 July 2022, the Scientific Advisory Board of the environmental DNA initiative convened for the first time, sharing crucial recommendations as UNESCO prepares the global roll-out of the citizen science initiative.
The project “Environmental DNA Expeditions in UNESCO World Heritage Marine Sites” is guided by an international Scientific Advisory Board that brings together some of the world’s leading science and expertise in molecular ecology, eDNA, bioinformatics, fish metabarcoding, ocean science.
Included in it’s sixteen members from across the globe is ecoDNA’s Professor Dianne Gleeson.
The Board represents and acts as a connection to cutting-edge global scientific knowledge in the use of the eDNA sampling for marine biodiversity monitoring. The Scientific Advisory Board will collaborate with the UNESCO coordination team and partner eDNA laboratory in defining the optimum sampling and sample processing protocols within the limitations of citizen science sampling. In addition, the members of the Scientific Advisory Board will play a key role in the development of the publications utilizing the results of the project.
The project is implemented by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and World Heritage Centre, with the support of the Government of Flanders. It is the first UN Decade Action for Marine World Heritage, in the context of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
EcoDNA acknowledges the Ngunnawal people, traditional custodians of the lands where we are situated. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of Canberra and the region. We also acknowledge all other First Nations Peoples on whose lands we gather.
Email: ecoDNA@canberra.edu.au
Address: Building 7, Level D, University of Canberra, Bruce ACT 2617 Australia