3 Amy Diedrich1,3, Ms Heather Robson1, Dean Jerry1,2
1James Cook University, TOWNSVILLE, Australia, 2ARC Research Hub for Supercharging Tropical Aquaculture through Genetic Solutions, James Cook University, TOWNSVILLE, Australia, 3Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, TOWNSVILLE, Australia
Biography:
Heather Robson is a Senior Lecturer and graduate student at James Cook University, where her passion for eDNA has taken her on quite an unusual adventure. Her journey has led her from traditional eDNA based research, to a national inventor’s program and finally as a co-founder of a scientific start-up company, Grover Scientific. Along the way, her research interests have expanded from the detection of invasive species to her current passion which is exploring technology adoption and how to drive innovation at scale.
Abstract:
The rapid growth of environmental DNA (eDNA) adoption and its incorporation by multiple stakeholder groups over the last decade provides an excellent case study in how to effectively drive innovation at scale. This study examines the adoption of eDNA by three key stakeholder groups: scientists, industry and regulatory bodies in Australia and New Zealand. Through in-depth interviews and surveys, we identify key drivers and barriers which influence the uptake of eDNA technology in each sector. Our research highlights past, current, and future challenges facing each stakeholder group. By exploring the diverse motivations and obstacles encountered by different stakeholders, this work informs the development of targeted strategies and interventions that will drive eDNA adoption at scale within these communities.