Overview

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements and impacts
• Scientific and professional appointments

Current activities

In addition to contributing to the general management of CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Peter also undertakes special projects.

• Peter is the Director of GISERA, the Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance. GISERA is a vehicle initiated by Australia Pacific LNG and CSIRO to foster collaborative public good research into the social and environmental challenges and opportunities associated with Australia’s growing gas industry. Its research focuses on five main topics: surface and groundwater; agricultural land management; social and economic issues; terrestrial biodiversity and the marine environment. Further information can be found on the GISERA web site [external link].
• In support of the Prime Minister’s Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce, he led a comprehensive review of northern Australian land and water science. Over eighty of Australia’s leading scientists contributed to the Northern Australia Land and Water Science Review 2009, which represents the most comprehensive and thorough review undertaken of conventional science and knowledge of northern Australian land and water. The report continues to inform policy and action concerning the development of the north. The review can be found online [external link] 

Peter’s interest in the north continues through his involvement in a range of projects that seek to understand the use of land and water resources for a range of purposes, such as conservation, cultural heritage and industry development.

Background

Peter’s work history includes farm management, food industry consulting, grain marketing and agricultural research. For much of the last 10 years, his research has focused on the use of contested land-based resources, seeking to understand the intersection of a range of scientific, community and industry perspectives.

Academic qualifications

Dr Stone holds the following qualifications, all from the University of Melbourne, Australia:

• Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours, 1988
• Masters of Agricultural Science, 1991
• Doctor of Philosophy, 1996.

Achievements and impacts

Peter’s research draws on a wide range of skills, and is designed to respond to and inform policy, industry and community needs, usually in rural and regional settings.

End-user engagement is a critical part of this work, and Peter is often called upon to address industry, science and community forums and to provide advice to research, industry and policy makers, and to respond to media requests for information.

Peter’s agricultural research has helped to improve industry products and processes, both on-farm and beyond the farm gate.

His achievements have been recognised by a number of academic, science and industry awards.

Scientific and Professional Appointments

Peter serves on a  number of community, industry and research bodies in Australia and overseas, including:

• Tropical Landscapes Joint Venture Board
• Foundation for Arable Research Scientific Advisory Committee
• North Queensland Irrigated Agriculture Strategy Steering Committee

Find out more about Ecosystem Sciences.