Data on pests and their spread is important in guiding efforts to control them

A Planet at Risk: Bioinvasion and Biosecurity workshop12-13 September, CSIRO Discovery Centre, Canberra

The European fox, an introduced pest in many parts of Australia

Biosecurity and mathsAustralia’s physical isolation has fostered the development of our unique environment with its amazing diversity of plants and animals, many found nowhere else in the world. Our isolation also underpins our enviable position of being free from many serious pests and diseases that circulate around the world. Australia is also a great trading nation. Our prosperity is built on the import and export of goods and services but with them, can come pests and diseases.

Exotic animals, plants, pests and diseases can have significant impacts on agriculture, the environment and economy. In Australia’s history, there are a number of iconic examples firmly in the national psyche – foxes, rabbits, prickly pear to name a few. Effective biosecurity will always be important in maintaining the efficiency of Australian agricultural industries and in protecting the environment.

For Australia, because of its unique fauna and flora, biosecurity is a key national priority. CSIRO’s continued commitment to biosecurity is clear through the development of a new National Research Flagship focused on this critical area.

The Biosecurity Flagship draws on the expertise of around 200 CSIRO staff contributing to work on biosecurity problems to help meet key national challenges. The mathematical and statistical sciences play a key role and Australia is well placed to innovate in this area.

To help address this important issue in 2013, the International Year of the Mathematics of Planet Earth, a free two-day workshop is being organised.

About the eventIn this Year of the Mathematics of Planet Earth (MPE Year), it is timely to ask: “What are the current and future biosecurity and bioinvasion topics requiring the development of mathematical and statistical modelling protocols?”

The workshop is being organised by CSIRO Computational Informatics and CSIRO’s Biosecurity Flagship in conjunction with the:

◆ Mathematical Sciences Institute, Australian National University

◆ Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The goals of this workshop include:

◆ Focus on current national biosecurity and bioinvasion issues for which mathematical and statistical modelling has an important future role to play in informing decision making.

◆ Stimulate community, and in particular student, awareness of research topics in mathematics and statistics which have a direct connection to current and future bioinvasion and biosecurity problems.

◆ Ensure that there is a specific focus on Mathematics of Planet Earth (MPE) in Canberra which links with government activities which are of public and national concern with a strong emphasis on bioinvasion and biosecurity.

◆ Review successful and unsuccessful case studies to identify viable future strategies.

Australia is one of very few countries to remain free of the dreaded Varroa mite, an external parasite of bees

CSIRO’s Biosecurity Flagship is focused on helping to protect Australia from biosecurity threats and risks posed by serious exotic and endemic pests and diseases

CSIROwww.csiro.au

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Topics to be discussed include:

◆ cargo inspection

◆ quarantine

◆ the spread and possible control of rabbits, cane toads, fire ants, weeds

◆ introduced molecular pathogens such as plant viruses

We welcome you to join us as we progress our thinking about the maths and stats of protecting Australia’s biosecurity.

About Maths of Planet Earth2013 is the International year of Mathematics of Planet Earth. The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute is teaming up with societies and organisations in Australia to spread the word about the role of maths and stats in understanding the challenges of our world in a fun and accessible way.

Our planet is the setting for dynamic processes of all sorts, including the geophysical processes in the mantle, the continents, and the oceans, the atmospheric processes that determine our weather and climates, the biological processes involving living species and their interactions, and the human processes of finance, agriculture, water, transportation, and energy.

Whether findings are directly from the mathematical sciences or branches of chemistry, physics or biology; chances are some form of mathematics is used.

There are four international themes for the year:

◆ A planet to discover

◆ A planet supporting life

◆ A planet organised by humans

◆ A planet at risk

CSIRO is a partner in Maths of Planet Earth Australia. For more information about Maths of Planet Earth, see www.mathsofplanetearth.org.au.

About CSIRO Computational InformaticsAdvances in digital technologies have triggered an explosion of volume, velocity and variety of data and information. That data and information has to be generated, captured, communicated and analysed by organisations like governments, companies and research institutions.

Areas like life sciences, advanced materials, environmental science, renewable energy, and services have become increasingly dependent on progress in mathematical sciences and digital technologies research. More than ever, the expanding and evolving role of these capabilities is recognised globally as having broad reach with significant potential impact.

CSIRO Computational Informatics will foster these capabilities to make a real difference to Australia.

About CSIRO’s Biosecurity FlagshipCSIRO’s Biosecurity Flagship is focused on helping to protect Australia from biosecurity threats and risks posed by serious exotic and endemic pests and diseases.

The Flagship provides a vehicle to work closely with a wide range of external partners across the national and global biosecurity system to respond to Australia’s long term biosecurity needs in a more coordinated and focused research effort.

Our research involves the detailed study of invasive organisms, pests and diseases, risk analysis, predictive modelling and new treatment strategies.

We bring together the critical areas of One Health – a combined approach to animal, human and environmental health – and provide new technologies in the form of sensors, sensor networks and autonomous platforms for more cost-effective surveillance systems of our borders.

We provide industry with improved control strategies to reduce impacts of emerging and established diseases and pests and our research achievements and tools enhance policy development, decision making, threat characterisation and risk management.

We are striving for a biosecurity system that is pre-emptive, responsive, resilient, and based on cutting edge surveillance, informatics and technologies. For our goal to become a reality, we will continue to rely on the strong partnerships we have formed, and those we will continue to seek out and grow into the future.

Improved coordination of research will support an enhanced national ability to protect public health, the environment and the economy into the future.

More informationFor more details and updates about the workshop, visit our web page at www.csiro.au/mpe

COnTACT:Dr Bob Anderssen bob.anderssen@csiro.au 02 6216 7260

Kathryn Zaraza kathryn.zaraza@csiro.au 02 6216 7200

DetailsWhEn:12 September, 9:00am - 13 September, 5:00pm

As well as the two day workshop, a public lecture will be held on 12 September given by Dr Gary Fitt, Director of the new Biosecurity Flagship in CSIRO.

WhERE:CSIRO Discovery Centre, North Science Road, Acton, Canberra

WhO ShOulD ATTEnD:

◆ Researchers of biosecurity modelling

◆ Biomathematicians and biostatisticians

COST:The event is free but bookings are essential.

www.csiro.au/mpeA Planet at Risk: Bioinvasion and Biosecurity workshop

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