Shannon Evenden

Shannon is dedicated to fostering nature-positive innovations and behaviours by addressing the needs of primary producers. Her researcher focuses on how agri-environment schemes, such as the Nature Repair Act, can meet both social and ecological requirements. It is a multi-disciplinary project, working directly with landholders, and employing qualitative and quantitative social sciences, as well as spatial and economic modelling.

This research builds on five years of hands-on experience in catalysing the adoption of nature-positive innovations and behaviour within primary industry. Shannon was the lead officer for the National Feral Deer Action Plan, hosted by Primary Industries South Australia through the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions. In this role, she collaborated with individual landholders, groups, and agencies to design and implement feral deer management plans for landscape-scale environmental benefits. Prior to this, she was a research officer with fishers and aquaculture managers in the Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry, facilitating the adoption of new technology for more sustainable outcomes. 

Shannon is an experienced science communicator. She has a radio program on Radio Adelaide and is a weekly guest on ABC. She collaborates with artists in the production of science-informed art. Some of her projects include the coordination the scientists in the largest known Australian science/arts collaboration and the role science advisor and creative collaborator for the development of Nudibranch Night performed on the Eyre Peninsula ocean for over 2,000 people. Shannon also engages in public science communication with notable panel discussion appearances in the Planet Talks for WOMADelaide, and in the Nature Festival.