Stefan
Home State
South Australia
University
Flinders University
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science (Honours Marine Biology)
Bachelor of Innovation & Enterprise
Background
Growing up, I always had an interest in science, but wasn't quite sure what direction this would take. At the end of Year 12, I went through the tertiary admissions catalogue and crossed out everything I didn't want to do, which left me with five options, including science majoring in biodiversity and conservation Flinders. After completing the double degree option, I took some time off and travelled through Europe, Russia and Japan, before trying to settle down to a "real" job. I found this harder than I expected, and after six harrowing months working full-time as a lab technician, I resigned to go back to uni and do my Honours in Marine Biology. When I saw the DEWHA grad program, it seemed an awesome opportunity to apply what I'd learned in a meaningful way, while allowing me flexibility to work on lots of different issues and projects. The potential to work in a Department as diverse as DEWHA seemed ideal.
Placements
First Placement
Wetlands Section, Water Reform Division
The Wetlands Section manages issues relating to Ramsar wetland Sites, including providing advice on EPBC Act referrals to the Approvals and Wildlife Division (AWD), providing policy and general advice to the Ministers, and administration and/or involvement in the funding and delivery of several programs. During my placement, my main task was to provide advice to AWD in regards to development applications around the country, namely whether they would have a negative impact on Ramsar wetlands, and how this could be avoided or minimised. I was also involved in managing funding projects to develop Ramsar Information Sheets and Ecological Character Descriptions for Ramsar sites. This placement was a great introduction to the Department, as it allowed me to develop my project management and public service writing skills, while working on issues in which I had some background.
Second Placement
Coral Triangle Initiative Taskforce, Marine Division
The Coral Triangle Initiative Taskforce was set up to coordinate Australia's engagement with Asia-Pacific marine fora, including the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) marine groups, and several others. A part of my job was to identify and develop new ways for Australia to engage with our northern neighbours on marine environmental issues. This placement allowed me to combine my interest of all things salt water with international issues, which made for a highly interesting rotation. In my first week I was asked to write a letter to the Prime Minister on behalf of Minister Garrett, and since then I have gained exposure to a wide range of international issues and experienced coordinating an interdepartmental committee composed of several major federal agencies (Department of Climate Change; Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research; Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet; CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science; and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). This position was based in Hobart, which gave me the opportunity to leave Canberra for three months - a great way to experience a new city and see a new part of the country.
Third Placement
Scientific Research and Information Section, Policy Coordination Division
The Scientific Research and Information Section is one of the main bridges between the department and the world of research. Given the demand for evidence-based policy in government, the interface of research and policy is increasingly important. The Commonwealth Environmental Research Facilities (CERF) is a $24 million dollar-a-year program set up to establish and fund research groups to answer environmental questions which will help DEWHA in its work, as well as broader community needs. The current CERF program is in its final year of funding, so I was placed in a small team tasked with shaping its replacement. This was a great opportunity to build core skills in building a major program from the ground up, and increasing my awareness of departmental priorities, research needs, funding, project management and staffing needs. While "Future CERF" is still being developed, it's satisfying to know that I made some key contributions to the final model.
Final Placement
Policy Analysis and Advice, Marine Division
'the best thing about working for us ... is the environment'