associate professor steven lapidge

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2010 Fulbright Professional Business/Industry (Coral Sea) Scholarship

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“Invasive animals rank only second to land clearing as the biggest threat to biodiversity around the world. At the same time governments and individuals are becoming more environmentally conscious and accountable as to how humans manage ecological threats. Internationally there is a pressing need for more humane, species-tailored and environmentally benign toxicants for managing the threats posed by invasive species.”

Associate Professor Steven Lapidge, a Program Leader with the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IACRC) at the University of Canberra, has won the 2010 Fulbright Professional Business/Industry Coral Sea Scholarship. This Fulbright scholarship was established by former U.S. Ambassador Mel Sembler and U.S. companies to recognise the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea and address business and industry issues common to Australia and the U.S.

Through his Fulbright Steven will spend three months at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Wildlife Research Centre in Colorado to further the existing research that the IACRC has undertaken in the area of developing sodium nitrite for control of feral pigs. Sodium nitrite is a common food preservative, and it has the potential to be a suitable chemical for controlling other pest species, currently managed with less humane chemicals, such as anticoagulants, zinc phosphide and strychnine.

“The proposed exchange will initiate development of a humane toxicant for feral pigs in the U.S., and Australia will benefit from the USDA’s vast experience in product formulation, testing and registration.”

“As feral pigs are rapidly expanding their range in the USA the USDA is interested in this Australian technology,” Steven said.

Steven said that the principal benefit he will gain from being a Fulbright Scholar is access to some of the finest formulation and residue chemists, risk analysis modellers and registration experts in this field. This will greatly enhance his ability to help deliver additional nitrite products with the IACRC’s Australian commercial partner, Animal Control Technologies Australia.

Steven has a BSc (Hons) from Flinders University, a PhD from the University of Sydney and is studying for his MBA at the University of South Australia. He is interested in conservation biology, volleyball, food and wine appreciation.

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