WorldFish scientist Dr. Pip Cohen has won a prestigious 2014 Queensland Young Tall Poppy Science Award. The award recognizes Dr. Cohen’s work on small-scale fisheries governance among the least developed nations in the Pacific.
As a scientist with the international research organization WorldFish and an Adjunct Research Fellow in the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, Dr. Cohen’s work uses an interdisciplinary approach to address the need to improve environmental sustainability and food security in developing countries, particularly through small-scale fisheries.
She has worked with economists, ecologists and anthropologists to produce a framework to guide integrated environment and development policies.
“My research is conducted in developing countries, and as much as possible, by working alongside local fishing communities and national governments,” says Cohen. “This means I regularly need to communicate my science and make sure it can help answer questions of concern to those communities and countries”.
Much of Dr. Cohen’s research is conducted in partnership with ARC’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University (JCU). This is part of a broader collaboration between WorldFish and JCU that builds on interdisciplinary (i.e. ecological and social sciences) research capacity to produce quality science with environmental sustainability and food security impacts in developing countries.
The Australian Institute of Policy and Science established the Young Tall Poppy awards in 1998 to recognize and celebrate Australian intellectual and scientific excellence.
The award aims to encourage young Australians to follow in the footsteps of Australia’s outstanding achievers and to help raise the profile of science in the broader community.
Recipients are encouraged to give their time to outreach programs, working with teachers and students to promote the study of science and careers in the field.
For more information or to request an interview:
Contact: Toby Johnson, Senior Media Relations Manager
Mobile tel: +60 (0) 175 124 606
Email: t.johnson@cgiar.org
Web: worldfishcenter.org
Photography: flickr.com/photos/theworldfishcenter/
Dr Pip Cohen, +61 (0) 400 468 255, p.cohen@cgiar.org
Eleanor Gregory, Coral CoE Communications, +61 (0) 428 785 895, eleanor.gregory@jcu.edu.au
About WorldFish
WorldFish is an international, nonprofit research organization that harnesses the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce hunger and poverty. Globally, more than 1 billion poor people obtain most of their animal protein from fish and 800 million depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods. WorldFish is a member of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.
About CGIAR
CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research Centers that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partners.