Professor, Australian Rivers Institute
Deputy Dean (Research), Griffith Sciences
See Mark’s full research profile here.
Research outputs linked to policy change and decision-making
- Professor Kennard recently led a large collaborative research project for the Office of Water Science (Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment) which delivered fundamental knowledge and new monitoring tools to improve assessment of ecohydrological responses to groundwater drawdown. This research has informed decision-making by the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining in eastern Australia, improved knowledge of cumulative risks to threatened species and ecological communities in the Great Artesian Basin and contributed to the Bioregional Assessment Program.
- Prof Kennard’s research on freshwater biodiversity in northern Australia is contributing to more effective conservation management in the region. He has led projects through the Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment, provided expert advice to the Northern Australian Land & Water Taskforce, contributed to the development and implementation of the High Conservation Value Aquatic Ecosystems Toolkit for DSEWPAC and the NWC, and contributed to scientific panel assessment of the International and National Heritage values of Cape York Peninsula and the Kimberley for the Heritage Branch, DoE.
- Prof Kennard’s pioneering research to develop ecosystem health indicators using freshwater fish and other biota now underpins the Healthy Waterways Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program in SE Queensland. This is successfully being used to report on trends in ecosystem health, identify priority areas for investment in on-ground management actions and to assess the effectiveness of management actions and progress towards targets.
- NESP Northern Hub projects: Environmental water needs for the Mitchell River, Applying knowledge of river flow–ecology links, Prioritising threatened species in northern Australia, and Multi-objective planning in northern Australia.
Current academic employment and positions
- Professor – Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University (2021 – present)
- Deputy Dean (Research) –Sciences Group, Griffith University (2019 – present)
- Project Leader: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Program. ‘GA-2000150 – Threatened species assessment and recovery in burnt coastal wallum wetlands’ (2020 – 2021)
- Research Theme Leader: Murray-Darling Basin Authority “Murray-Darling Water & Environment Research Program. ‘Theme 3: Environmental Outcomes’. (2021 – 2024)
- Project Leader: Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy. ‘Beetaloo GBA region Baseline Survey Program’ (2020 – 2021)
- Project Leader: Queensland Department of Environment and Science – Research, Development and Innovation Priorities for the Queensland Water Modelling Network. ‘Modelling surface water availability to inform water security for freshwater biodiversity and human society in a changing climate’ (2020 – 2021)
- Project Leader: NESP – Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub. ‘Project 6.1 – e-Flow Synthesis Project: enhancing uptake of environmental flow research for improved water planning in northern Australia’ (2018 – 2020)
Highest Qualification
- 2005: Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University, Queensland
Major Prizes, Medals and Honours
- Whitley Medal from the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales for the book “Ecology of Australian Freshwater Fishes” (Eds) P. Humphries & K. Walker, CSIRO Publishing. The Whitley Medal is the most sought-after prize in zoological publishing in Australia.
- Griffith University Post-doctoral Fellowship (funding for three years).
- Whitley Medal (with co-authors Brad Pusey and Angela Arthington) from the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales for the book “Freshwater Fishes of North-Eastern Australia” CSIRO Publishing.
- PhD Thesis Academic Excellence award, Office of Graduate Studies, Griffith University.
Roles on government or regional organisation committees
- Expert Panel Member – Analysis of 2019/2020 bushfire impacts on conservation values in Queensland – Queensland Department of Environment and Science (2020).
- Expert Panel Member – Risk Specialist Group informing review of environmental regulation of resource activities in Queensland – Queensland Department of Environment and Science (2020).
- Technical Advisory Group member – Murray-Darling Basin Aquatic Ecosystem Classification project, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (2012–2013)
- Scientific Panel member – Cape York Peninsula World Heritage Nomination, Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (2012–2013)
- Science Review Panel member – Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment (2012)
- Science Review Panel member – Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce (2009).
- Technical Advisory Panel member – Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water “Water Resource Plans for the Mary, Logan and Burnett River Basins” (2000-2006)
- Mary River Cod Recovery Team member – Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (1999–)
Links with non-government groups or networks
- Prof Kennard maintains strong collaborative links with many natural resource management groups, Indigenous groups, and professional societies.
My Projects
Current project
Completed project
NESP, 2015-2021NERP, 2012-2015TRaCK, 2005-present
