Tackling Climate Change at the Australian Museum

Ages: Recommended for 16+

Over a decade ago, the Australian Museum (AM) stated that "...climate change poses a serious environmental, economic and social threat to our current way of life and to the security of future generations across the globe.". The impacts of climate change have only grown since, and the Museum remains committed to supporting climate action.

Join us for this free panel discussion and go behind the scenes to learn about the Museum's work on tackling this global challenge. Dr Jenny Newell, Zehra Ahmed, Dr Claire Rowe and Dr Matthew Lott will sit down for a deep dive into the diverse and exciting projects they are working on to help combat climate change. From biodiversity research and wildlife protection to community outreach and achieving carbon neutral status the Australian Museum is investing in solutions across Australia and working to ensure a thriving future.

Dr Jenny Newell is the Curator of Climate Change Projects at the Australian Museum and works on the cultural dimensions of climate change, focusing on communities in Australia and the Pacific. Her work aims to increase engagement in environmental stewardship through the medium of museums. With a background in environmental history, Jenny has worked with Pacific communities and collections at museums across the world to amplify voices on climate change for broad audiences.

Zehra Ahmed is the Sustainability and Access Projects Coordinator at the Australian Museum, where she leads many key projects that manage the Museum's environmental and social footprint, and helping raise it to be a global leader these spaces. A passionate community advocate, Zehra has volunteered over the years in the Torres Strait Islands in community projects studying the effects of sea-level rise and climate change.

Dr Claire Rowe is the Collection Manager in the Marine Invertebrates department of the Australian Museum and has been involved with the institution since studying her undergraduate degree. Her PhD, through the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum Research Institute, focused on the identification, seasonality and population dynamics of upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea sp.). In 2022 Claire represented the Museum on CSIRO’s RV Investigator, exploring the deep seamounts around Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Dr Matthew Lott is a geneticist at the Australian Museum, whose focus lies on the management of Australian wildlife. He has overseen a number of research projects examining population structure, evolution and genetic diversity in Australian marsupials, and works extensively in the research and development of native wildlife protection strategies.

This event is presented as part of Climate Action Week Sydney.