More about our Advisory Board members
Dr Jennifer Andrew
of Andrew Gavel Pty Ltd
Raised on a wheat and sheep farm on the edge of the Hay Plains in NSW, Jennifer has always remained interested in rural issues and rural life. She has a background and experience in the field of community-based education, environmental education and capacity building.
Her doctoral thesis bound together interests in farming, the environment, economics, policy, history, social research and education. Titled, Community-based Environmental Education: Government and Community; Economics and Environment (Deakin University 1997), the study followed the workings of a government funded program and the learning processes, whether planned, individualistic, or through social interaction, of the farmers, government representatives and scientists involved. The study documented decision-making and actions of a farmer group as they endeavoured to collaborate on a district rabbit control program. The Graduate School, Deakin University, recognised this thesis by nominating the study as Deakin’s selection for the Australian Association for Research in Education Doctoral Award.
Since 1997, Jennifer has undertaken many projects that demonstrate her commitment to participatory research methods and her experience in undertaking consultative processes and conducting evaluations. She has also developed course material for a wide range of educational programs ranging from pre-school to university level.
Workshops and research paper presentations about education, particularly community-based education, have been a part of Jennifer’s work and have included presentations throughout Australia and overseas. In 1998 Jennifer was invited to contribute to lectures and workshops in Belem, Brazil by the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, which is the primary Brazilian institution involved in scientific and cultural research in support of the Brazilian Amazon and its people. One of the main functions of the workshops was to produce socially and culturally specific resources for people of Para, Brazil.
Further to this, in 1999, Jennifer also contributed to an environmental education Masters course at Rhodes University, South Africa presenting information on theories and practices associated with participatory processes in community-based environmental education. Jennifer has also contributed to education workshops and presentations throughout Australia and in California, Maine, Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Yukon and Hawaii.
Since 1994 Jennifer has undertaken consultancies for a variety of clients including government and non-government organisations, rural industries, Indigenous organisations and educational institutions.
Jamie Pittock, BSc (Hons)
Principal, James Pittock Consulting
PhD candidate, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University
E-mail: jamie.pittock@anu.edu.au
Jamie Pittock has a background in zoology and geography (BSc(Hons) 1989) from Monash University, specializing in palynology. From 1989-2001 he was employed by a number of non-government groups in Australia, to work on a range of issues for the conservation of nature.
Jamie was involved in advocacy for the Victoria Heritage Rivers Act, and helped establish and implement a number of technical support, legal and funding programs that support landholders to conserve freshwater habitats. From 1996 Jamie represented WWF in the Ramsar Convention, and led WWF advocacy for new Australian environmental laws that better conserve rivers and wetlands, and which were enacted in 1999.
Jamie was Director of WWF’s Global Freshwater Programme from 2001 to 2007. The Programme promoted establishment and management of freshwater protected areas, sustainable river basin management, and sustainable use of water by agriculture and industry globally. The Programme directed WWF’s work for one of WWF’s five global priorities.
From July 2007 Jamie has been a WWF Research Associate, undertaking PhD research on river management and climate change based at the Fenner School of Environment & Society at the Australian National University. He is also the principal of James Pittock Consulting.