Dr. Flavia Santamaria
B.Biol.(Hons), Grad.Dip.Edu., PhD (Science)Lecturer/Researcher
School of Access Education
Building 32 - G 30
Dr Flavia Santamaria is a Lecturer in the School of Access Education (SAE) and is working on koala research projects with the Flora, Fauna and Freshwater Research Group and the Koala Research-CQ at the School of Health, Medical & Applied Sciences.
Flavia is passionate about education in all of its facets and enjoys teaching adult students because of their enthusiasm and commitment to their own future.
Flavia's PhD, carried out in Victoria at the former University of Ballarat (now Federation University), studied the impact of translocation on the health, tree species selection and movement of radio-tracked koalas relocated from French Island to forests around Ballarat.
Both in Victoria and Queensland, she has worked on projects that included GIS mapping and surveys of koala habitat and koala surveys.
Flavia's current and future research focus are on koalas' response to stress and koala ecology, and in particular:
- the impact of anthropogenic environmental changes on koala populations, including the potential pressure of environmental stress on the health of koalas (i.e. Chlamydia)
- detection and prevention of disease in koalas
- using the koala as a flagship species in educating communities for sustainability.
Other interests
Protection of the environment by engaging with various community groups.
Universities Studied At
PhD, University of Ballarat
Graduate Diplama of Education, Victoria University
Biological Sciences (Honours), Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza. Dipartimento di Biologia: Roma, Lazio, IT
Universities Worked At
University of Ballarat: Outreach Program Officer.
Deliver a range of in-school and on campus programs to engage disadvantaged students of low socio-economic status as well as those from regional/rural schools. The aim of the program was to increase the aspiration of these students for further education.
University of Melbourne (Creswick Campus): Lecturer (sessional) in Forest Ecology.
Previous teaching
Consultancy Work
R1-Koala Research CSAR17023- Koala habitat health - remote sensing based, landscape-scale habitat management toolkit, initial climate change scenario assessment & local habitat health checks
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Scheme: Koala Research Grant Program
Total Funding: $91,812.72
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 3109 Zoology
- 4102 Ecological Applications
- 0502 Environmental Science and Management
At the level of Associate Supervisor
Current Capacity
Physiology - Animal Physiology - Systems
Education Systems - Continuing and Community Education
Ecological Applications - Ecological Impacts of Climate Change
Environmental Science and Management - Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Science and Management - Wildlife and Habitat Management
