Dr Shana Hirsch1
1University Of Washington, Seattle, United States
Biography:
Shana Hirsch, an environmental social scientist and restoration ecologist, is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering. Her research with the eDNA Collaborative is aimed at supporting access to eDNA methods and technologies around the world.
Abstract:
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a rapidly emerging technology that has the potential to support environmental monitoring and biodiversity conservation around the world. There are currently international efforts underway to standardize eDNA technologies, methods, and data. The eDNA Collaborative, a program aimed at broadening the use of eDNA, is investigating how these standards might support, or hinder, access to and use of eDNA in routine conservation practice. This workshop will bring together eDNA researchers and practitioners to facilitate a conversation around the promises and perils of eDNA standards and standardization. It is the 3rd in a series of workshops that have been held around the world, each with the aim of gathering perspectives from different regions, including Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and now, the South Pacific. Please join us for an interactive 1 1/2-hour workshop to share your own experiences and perspectives so that we can collaborate to ensure that eDNA technologies and tools are accessible to scientists worldwide.