Kit Prendergast | Conservation | Young Scientist Award

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Dr. Kit Prendergast | Conservation | Young Scientist Award

 University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

Dr. Kit Prendergast, known as the “Bee Babette,” is an award-winning native bee ecologist, author, and science communicator from Australia, deeply passionate about pollinator conservation and biodiversity. With a Ph.D. from Curtin University, her research focuses on native bee ecology in urban environments and the interactions between native bees and introduced honeybees. Dr. Prendergast has authored multiple books and scientific papers, received numerous prestigious awards, and is an active advocate through various media including YouTube, Facebook, and public outreach events. Her work spans academia, government consulting, community science, and public education, combining rigorous scientific inquiry with creative outreach. She is widely recognized for her innovative projects such as “Bee Hotels to Boost Bees After Bushfires,” and is a prominent figure in entomology and environmental awareness both nationally and internationally. Dr. Prendergast continues to inspire and educate global audiences on native bee conservation and ecological sustainability.

 

Profile

Scopus

Orcid

Scholar

🎓 Education 

Dr. Kit Prendergast earned her Ph.D. in 2021 from Curtin University’s School of Science and Engineering, focusing on native bee communities and the impact of honeybees in urban plant-pollinator networks. She completed her Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours in Zoology and Conservation Biology from the University of Western Australia in 2014, with a thesis on equine cognitive abilities. Prior to that, she also earned a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English and Cultural Studies, from the same university in 2013, achieving high distinctions across all units. She distinguished herself early, graduating from Methodist Ladies College with a TER of 99.4 and multiple academic excellence awards in biology and media studies. Dr. Prendergast has also been recognized through competitive scholarships such as the Forrest Research Foundation Scholarship, enabling her interdisciplinary pursuit of science, communication, and conservation. 🎓

💼 Experience 

Dr. Kit Prendergast has held diverse roles across academia, government, NGOs, and consultancy. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at University of Southern Queensland (2024–2026), she has conducted extensive native bee surveys and ecological assessments for organizations including WA Parks and Wildlife, Transport NSW, and Greening Australia. Her portfolio includes science communication, academic tutoring, ecological consulting, writing, and education, with key contributions like the “Powerful Pollinator Planting Guides.” She has authored reports, articles, and books while contributing to high-profile journals and platforms. Kit’s innovative work bridges science and community engagement, evidenced by projects like bee hotels for bushfire recovery and biodiversity surveys across WA, QLD, and Melbourne. Additionally, she has held multiple roles as a content creator, tutor, circus coach, and ambassador, showcasing a rare blend of ecological expertise and creative outreach.

🏆 Awards and Honors 

Dr. Prendergast has received over 40 prestigious awards, including the 2024 Curtin University Young Achievement Alumni Award and multiple research grants such as the Transport NSW “Save Our Bees” Grant ($30,000) and the Federal Bushfire Recovery Grant ($120,030). She won the Box Office Award at the Anywhere Festival 2024 for her scicomm circus comedy “The Birds & the Bees” and was Highly Commended in the ESA’s 2023 Ecological Impact Awards. Other accolades include the Ivan Beatty Award (2024), Herman Slade Grant (2021–23), multiple top-cited journal recognitions, and early-career travel grants. Her impactful outreach earned her the OEH/ESA Award for Outstanding Outreach and a featured billboard campaign with Liquor Barons in WA. Kit’s work consistently bridges research excellence with creative science communication, garnering national and international recognition.

🔬 Research Focus 

Dr. Kit Prendergast’s research centers on the ecology, behavior, and conservation of native bees, especially within urbanized and fire-affected environments in Australia. Her Ph.D. investigated urban bee assemblages and the impact of European honeybees on native plant-pollinator networks in biodiversity hotspots. She has pioneered methods for native bee sampling, advocated for urban pollinator habitats, and published over 70 scholarly works on topics such as bee-hotel use, floral resource preferences, and social behaviors of cavity-nesting bees. Kit’s multidisciplinary approach integrates field ecology, molecular identification, citizen science, and spatial analysis. Her work also addresses the threats posed by introduced species, habitat fragmentation, and climate change. From conducting national biodiversity surveys to developing practical guides for conservation, Kit’s research contributes to science-based policy and public awareness, making her a leader in native pollinator science and applied environmental management.

✅ Conclusion

Dr. Kit Prendergast is a highly accomplished early-career researcher with a rare blend of scientific rigor, creativity, and public engagement. Her significant contributions to native bee research, conservation practices, and science outreach make her a deserving nominee for the Young Scientist Award. With her demonstrated passion, productivity, and potential for growth, she is poised to make continued and profound impacts in both academic and societal contexts.

📝Publications 

1. Is the loss of Australian digging mammals contributing to a deterioration in ecosystem function?

  • Year: 2014

  • Authors: PA Fleming, H Anderson, AS Prendergast, MR Bretz, LE Valentine, …

  • Citation: 324

2. The relative performance of sampling methods for native bees: an empirical test and review of the literature

  • Year: 2020

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, MHM Menz, KW Dixon, PW Bateman

  • Citation: 203

3. A global review of determinants of native bee assemblages in urbanised landscapes

  • Year: 2022

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, KW Dixon, PW Bateman

  • Citation: 103

4. Monitoring the birds and the bees: Environmental DNA metabarcoding of flowers detects plant–animal interactions

  • Year: 2023

  • Authors: JP Newton, PW Bateman, MJ Heydenrych, JH Kestel, KW Dixon, …

  • Citation: 63

5. Interactions between the introduced European honey bee and native bees in urban areas varies by year, habitat type and native bee guild

  • Year: 2021

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, KW Dixon, PW Bateman

  • Citation: 58

6. Plant-pollinator networks in Australian urban bushland remnants are not structurally equivalent to those in residential gardens

  • Year: 2021

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, J Ollerton

  • Citation: 56

7. Urban native vegetation remnants support more diverse native bee communities than residential gardens in Australia’s southwest biodiversity hotspot

  • Year: 2022

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, S Tomlinson, KW Dixon, PW Bateman, MHM Menz

  • Citation: 47

8. Impacts of the introduced European honeybee on Australian bee‐flower network properties in urban bushland remnants and residential gardens

  • Year: 2022

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, J Ollerton

  • Citation: 45

9. Continental risk assessment for understudied taxa post‐catastrophic wildfire indicates severe impacts on the Australian bee fauna

  • Year: 2021

  • Authors: JB Dorey, CM Rebola, OK Davies, KS Prendergast, BA Parslow, …

  • Citation: 27

10. Bee representations in human art and culture through the ages

  • Year: 2021

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, JE Garcia, SR Howard, ZX Ren, SJ McFarlane, AG Dyer

  • Citation: 26

11. Honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) outnumber native bees in Tasmanian apple orchards: Perspectives for balancing crop production and native bee conservation

  • Year: 2021

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, N Leclercq, NJ Vereecken

  • Citation: 26

12. Methodological shortcomings and lack of taxonomic effort beleaguer Australian bee studies

  • Year: 2021

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, K Hogendoorn

  • Citation: 24

13. The evidence for and against competition between the European honeybee and Australian native bees

  • Year: 2022

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, KW Dixon, PW Bateman

  • Citation: 23

14. The relative performance of sampling methods for native bees: an empirical test and review of the literature

  • Year: 2020

  • Authors: KS Prendergast, MHM Menz, KW Dixon, PW Bateman, C Prendergast, …

  • Citation: 20

15. Checking in at bee hotels: trap-nesting occupancy and fitness of cavity-nesting bees in an urbanised biodiversity hotspot

  • Year: 2023

  • Authors: KS Prendergast

  • Citation: 17

Tommaso Giordano | Environmental Science| Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Tommaso Giordano | Environmental Science| Best Researcher Award

Istituto per la Bioeconomia, Italy

Tommaso Giordano is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Bioeconomy of the National Research Council (CNR-IBE) and a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering at the University of Florence. Under the guidance of Dr. Beniamino Gioli and Prof. Fabio Castelli, he contributes to international and local environmental research initiatives. Holding an MSc in Development Economics from a joint degree between the University of Florence and the University of Göttingen, Tommaso’s academic journey bridges economics, engineering, and environmental science. His work revolves around the use of applied statistics and data integration (from IoT sensors to satellite products) for urban analysis and population risk assessments. Dedicated to exploring sustainable urban ecosystems, he combines socio-economic insights with environmental modeling. He is passionate about improving data-driven strategies for climate adaptation and ecosystem services through innovative sensor networks, geospatial analysis, and risk mapping to support resilience and sustainable development in urban settings.

Profile

Scholar

🎓 Education 

Tommaso is currently pursuing an International Doctorate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Florence, focusing on environmental systems modeling and statistical analysis. He previously earned a joint MSc in Development Economics from the University of Florence and the University of Göttingen (EQF Level 7), graduating with 109/110 and 1.8 respectively, with a thesis on “Environmental regulation and innovation: empirical evidence for plastic.” His strong interdisciplinary background merges economics, environmental policy, and technical data handling. Earlier, he completed high school at Liceo Scientifico “Piero Gobetti” in Bagno a Ripoli, Florence, achieving a final grade of 71/100. Throughout his academic path, he has cultivated competencies in advanced statistics, GIS, and programming. Proficient in Italian (native), he is also fluent in English, German, and Spanish. His educational trajectory highlights a balance of environmental science, economics, and engineering—fueling his capability to handle complex environmental and socio-economic datasets.

💼 Experience 

Tommaso has worked as a Research Fellow at CNR-IBE since March 2021, contributing to multiple nationally and internationally funded urban sustainability projects. He is currently involved in the ADESFUR project, processing geo-spatial and socio-economic data for urban forestry planning. Prior to that, he supported the AIRQINO Smart Cities initiative, analyzing ecological and socio-environmental urban data. Between 2021 and 2024, he played a pivotal role in the “Prato Urban Jungle” UIA project, collecting and analyzing data to explore interactions between urban infrastructure and the environment, including urban heat islands and pollution. In 2020, he completed a sales internship at IRPLAST SpA, gaining experience in customer service and data management. His experience blends technical research with real-world application, showcasing his ability to work across diverse interdisciplinary contexts. He is skilled in data analysis, GIS, and sensor integration, with a growing publication record in environmental research.

🏅 Awards and Honors 

Tommaso Giordano has contributed to numerous high-impact scientific publications and international research collaborations, gaining recognition through his involvement in projects funded by respected institutions like the National Research Council and the EU’s Urban Innovative Actions. His academic excellence is evident in his near-top MSc grade (109/110) and publication record in top-tier journals such as Urban Climate, Atmospheric Pollution Research, and Environmental Research. He has co-authored research exploring heat risk, pollution, and sensor technologies for environmental monitoring, and has presented at international conferences including the EGU General Assembly (Vienna, 2023) and AISAM (Lecce, 2024). His master’s thesis, which applied empirical methods to environmental regulation, earned praise and contributed to policy-relevant findings. Through his academic and professional endeavors, Tommaso continues to receive commendation from peers and supervisors for his interdisciplinary capabilities, analytical precision, and commitment to data-driven environmental problem solving across urban ecological domains.

🔬 Research Focus 

Tommaso’s research centers on the integration of multi-source environmental and socio-economic data to analyze urban dynamics and human vulnerability to hazards. His key focus areas include environmental risk assessment, urban heat islands, air pollution exposure, and ecosystem service quantification. He employs applied statistics, remote sensing, IoT sensor networks, and spatial analysis to monitor and model urban environments. Through his doctoral research, he is developing tools to assess population-level risks using geospatial indicators and advanced data visualization. His work supports climate adaptation strategies, urban sustainability planning, and real-time environmental monitoring. Projects like Prato Urban Jungle and ADESFUR illustrate his dedication to using science for practical urban resilience outcomes. By merging economics, data science, and environmental engineering, Tommaso aims to contribute to interdisciplinary solutions for greener, healthier cities. His scientific publications reflect a commitment to innovation in urban environmental assessment and the development of low-cost, scalable monitoring systems.

📝 Conclusion

Tommaso Giordano is a strong emerging researcher with a solid foundation in environmental data analysis, urban sustainability, and applied economics. His research contributions to European urban environmental monitoring projects, publication record, and cross-disciplinary skills make him a viable candidate for an early-career or young researcher award. For highly competitive Best Researcher Awards, enhancing leadership visibility, independent research initiatives, and international recognition would significantly boost his profile.

Publication

  1. Title: Assessment of seasonal variations in particulate matter accumulation and elemental composition in urban tree species
    Year: 2024
    Authors: B.B. Moura, F. Zammarchi, J. Manzini, Y. Hoshika, L. Brilli, C. Vagnoli, B. Gioli, …

 

  1. Title: Diurnal outdoor thermal comfort mapping through ENVI-met simulations, remotely sensed and in situ measurements
    Year: 2023
    Authors: E. Fiorillo, L. Brilli, F. Carotenuto, L. Cremonini, B. Gioli, T. Giordano, …

 

  1. Title: Development of low-cost air quality stations for next-generation monitoring networks: calibration and validation of NO and O sensors
    Year: 2023
    Authors: A. Cavaliere, L. Brilli, B.P. Andreini, F. Carotenuto, B. Gioli, T. Giordano, …

 

  1. Title: Potential of low-cost PM monitoring sensors to fill monitoring gaps in areas of Sub-Saharan Africa
    Year: 2024
    Authors: G. Gualtieri, K. Ahbil, L. Brilli, F. Carotenuto, A. Cavaliere, B. Gioli, T. Giordano, …

 

  1. Title: Intensive campaign on continuous isotopic sampling for environmental criticality in the Stalactites cave of Altamira karst
    Year: 2023
    Authors: M. Nardino, A.P. Freixedo, D. Famulari, L. Brilli, A. Cavalieri, F. Carotenuto, …

 

  1. Title: Performance Assessment of Two Low-Cost PM2.5 and PM10 Monitoring Networks in the Padana Plain (Italy)
    Year: 2024
    Authors: G. Gualtieri, L. Brilli, F. Carotenuto, A. Cavaliere, T. Giordano, S. Putzolu, …

 

  1. Title: Assessment of risk components for urban population to heat intensity and air pollution through a dense IoT sensor network
    Year: 2025
    Authors: T. Giordano, L. Brilli, G. Gualtieri, F. Martelli, A. Cavaliere, F. Carotenuto, …

 

  1. Title: Winter 2022 thermal anomaly and energy crisis impact on air quality in urban and rural areas assessed with dense sensor networks
    Year: 2023
    Authors: T. Giordano, L. Brilli, F. Carotenuto, A. Cavaliere, G. Gualtieri, B. Gioli, …

 

  1. Title: Istituto per la BioEconomia
    Year: Not specified (likely institutional or collaborative paper)
    Authors: L. Brilli, F. Carotenuto, A. Cavaliere, B. Gioli, T. Giordano, G. Gualtieri, …