Prof Andy Lowe has been a TEDx and Pecha Kucha speaker, presented to a wide range of public audiences, and delivered keynote and plenary speeches at over 200 international and national meetings.
He has presented at COP22, UNODC expert working group, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and Asia Pacific Rainforest Partnership meetings.
Andy is equally at home delivering plenary scientific presentations, large public or more intimate speaking engagements.
He has given public addresses and been part of panel discussions with David Suzuki, Cate Blanchett, Terry Irwin, Lord Robert May and Peter Cullen.
Get in touch about having Prof Andy Lowe speak at your next event.
Selected events
CANCELLED 27 & 28 February 2020, Melbourne. Food Safety and Security 2020 conference – Chair and speaker. Marcus Evans Australia
13 August 2019, Adelaide. Raising the Bar Adelaide. Can your protein choices really save the planet and do we all need to turn vegan? Bookings
3-6 September 2019, Melbourne. Seeds&Chips Australia. Get your ticket
23 May 2019, Murray Bridge. Australian Regional Development Conference.
22 May 2019, Adelaide. Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Trustee Members event.
10 April 2019, Hallet Cove, Cove Civic Centre, Imagining the Future of Food, a Tasting Australia associated event put on by the City of Marion Libraries. Get tickets!
Mon 11 March 2019. WOMADelaide Planet Talks: Less Meat, Less Heat: is the elephant in the room a cow? Fellow panellist will be Angie Plummer (LessMeat Less Heat), Cecile Godde (CSIRO) and SBS Food presenter Matthew Evans. more
28 Feb 2019, Talca Chile. APEC, Technical Innovations in Forest Management
22 & 23 January 2019, Melbourne, Food Safety, Traceability and Processing Technology Forum – a Clariden Global event. Andy speaking 2:30pm 22nd Jan 2019, DNA Barcoding as a Reliable Tool to Track Down Mislabelling & Food Piracy, more
31 October – 2 November, The Power of Partnerships conference, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences (AHMS) building, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000 – more
Tuesday 7 August 2018, 830pm. Raising the Bar, ‘Having our cake and eating it too’, the Republic, Norwood SA – more
Food innovation In South Australia – Queen Adelaide Club. 11th April 2018 (Invited presentation)
Judge for the 2017 Food & Beverage Industry Awards, Foodpro and Food Factories of the Future, Australia
Think.Eat.Save – Oz Harvest public discussion, Goodman Lawns, University of Adelaide, 25th July 2017. Panel members included Duncan Welgemoed, Chef, Africola restaurant; Karena Armstrong, Chef, The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale; Tim James, State Manager of OzHarvest; Ben Hood & ‘George the Farmer’. Event MC and OzHarvest Ambassador Keith Conlon.
The Federated States of Degradia – Pecha Kucha, South Australian Museum. 28th Sept 2016 (Invited presentation)
The impact of Climate Change on South Australia’s Flora and what we should do about it – SA Orchid Society, 23rd Aug 2016 (Invited speaker)
DNA timber tracking. Pint of Science, Science in the Pub, Royal Institution Australia, Brunswick Hotel, Adelaide, 12th June 2015 (Invited speaker)
DNA barcoding – Kildare College and Blackwood High School May 2015 (Invited speaker and guest teacher)
Judge for the 2014 Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, South Australian Museum
DNA’s role in timber tracking – Pecha Kucha Night, 15May 2014 (Invited speaker)
Launch of ANZANG nature photography of the year prize – South Australian Museum. September 2013 (Opening speaker)
Life Strikes Back: How the explosion in genomic information is helping to protect life on earth – Macquarie Bank Foundation. 10th April 2013 (Invited dinner speaker)
How can scientific knowledge shape policy? – Public discussion hosted by ABC Online and Questacon, Canberra, included Lord Robert May, Subho Banerjee, Leslie Hughes, Nicholas Rowley, Andrew Campbell, David Schimel and Sara Phillips (ABC), 20th Feb 2013 (Opening speaker and MC)
Life Strikes Back: How the explosion of knowledge in genomics
is enhancing our ability to conserve species – Research Tuesday Public Lecture, University of Adelaide, May 2012 (Invited speaker)
DNA barcoding for biodiversity – TEDx, Science Exchange, Adelaide, Nov 2011 (Invited speaker)
TREND launch – with Cate Blanchett, Earth Station, Oct 2011 (Speaker and host)
Legacy by David Suzuki – Sept 2010 (Closing speaker of book tour)
An Endangered World – What’s happening to life as we know it? – Stirring the Possum Panel Discussion with Terry Irwin, Suzanne Miller and Allan Holmes, 4th June 2007 (Speaker and panellist)
Using evolutionary genetics to follow climate change – Science Teachers Press Club Dinner, Education Queensland, Geebung and Stafford District, 13th Oct 2004 (Invited speaker)
Selected events – policy and business
DNA and chemical methods for improved timber traceability and forest management – Forest and Wildlife Protection Across Central America, Comision Centroamericana de Ambiente y desarrollo (CCAD), San Jose, Costa Rica. 31st Jan 2018 (Invited presentation)
What does success look like? – Turning science into business, AusBiotech AusAg and Food Tech Summit, Adelaide, 30th Aug 2017 (MC and Session convener)
The impact of Climate Change on South Australia’s Flora and what we should do about it – Best practice provenancing for a changing climate, Kooyonga Golf Course, May Terrace, Brooklyn Park, Adelaide, 22nd May 2017 (Plenary speaker)
2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Conference of the Parties (COP22), the twelfth meeting of the parties for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP12), and the first meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA1). Marrakech, Morocco, 7-18 Nov 2016 (Head of University of Adelaide delegation)
Scientific verification in timber supply chains – XXVIII Asia Pacific Rainforest Partnership Private Sector Roundtable, Brunei, 3rd Aug 2016 (Invited speaker and panel MC)
Restoring South Australia’s native vegetation – Botany 2016, Past, Present and Future Symposium, South Australian NRM Science Conference. The University of Adelaide, 13-15 April 2016 (Invited Plenary)
Using DNA to eliminate illegal logging from supply chains – Forest Legality Alliance meeting, Washington, USA, 17th Dec 2015 (Invited speaker)
Overview of Forest Genetics Fundamental in Forest Plantation Development – Forest Congress, Ministry of Forestry and Conservation, Jakarta, Indonesia. 26th Nov 2015 (Invited plenary and panellist)
Scientific verification of timber origin – United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Expert Working Group, Vienna, Austria, 8th Oct 2015 (Invited speaker)
Land degradation and restoration assessment – Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Bonn Germany, 20-25th Sept 2015 (Invited speaker and lead author)
DNA marker applications in illegal logging – World Forest Congress, Forests and People, Durban, South Africa, 10th Sept 2015 (Invited plenary and panellist)
Seedsourcing strategies for revegetation in a fragmented and changing environment – Seeds for Success, Greening Australia Workshop, Melbourne, Australia, 9th July 2015 (Invited plenary)
Member of Ecosystem Science Long Term Plan Steering Committee who received a Highly Commended award from the International Association for Public Participation Australasia’s Core Values awards (2014-15)
Member of review panel for the New Zealand Natural Heritage research program (2014) a $200M national strategic investment.
Selected as member of science delegation, together with Australian Chief Scientist, Prof Ian Chubb, and Chief Executive of Department for Innovation, to participate in discussions in Brussels and Bonn in 2014 to establish bilateral research partnerships between Australia and Europe under the EU Horizon 2020 scheme ($70B).
DNA marker applications in illegal logging and pest management. Let’s Talk Genes. Department of Agriculture Forum. Canberra, Australia. 29th Nov 2013 (Invited plenary)
Update on industry collaboration with DNA timber tracking. In DNA based technologies for wood and wood product verification. Global Timber Tracking Network Regional Workshop for Asia, Pacific and Oceania. Beijing, China. 20th-21st Aug 2013 (Invited plenary)
Application of DNA fingerprinting to control tree species and geographic origin of timber – Private Sector Dialogue, hosted by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT). Medan, Indonesia, 25th June 2013 (Invited and funded presentation)
Overview of DNA based approaches to control timber origin DNA barcodes for tree species identification and DNA controlled chain of custody. Launch of Centre for Competence in timber identification, Thunen Institute, Hamburg, Germany. March 2013 (Invited and funded presentation)
TERN delivers for ecosystem science and management – Enabling collaborative data collection, storage and sharing to advance our understanding and ability to manage Australian. 4th Annual Symposium of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, Canberra, Australia. 19-20th Feb 2013 (Invited and funded plenary)
DNA barcoding for Rapid Biodiversity Inventory, Conservation Prioritisation, and Control of Illegal Logging –International Symposium on DNA Barcoding Discovery and Management of Biological Resources Using DNA Barcoding, Seoul, Korea, 24th May 2012 (Invited and plenary speaker)
Biodiversity. Presentation to Latin American Country Delegation as part of Latin America and Australia: Opening New Frontiers. Adelaide Zoo, Australia. 30th Aug 2011 (Invited speaker)
Selected events – scientific
Working with native habitat to improve pollination services – 3rd Australian Bee Congress, 29th June 2018 (Plenary speaker and session convener)
Identifying and tracking the origin of biological products – International Forum on Chinese Medicine at the Silk Road and Symposium on Clinical and Research of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Chinese Medicine, Chinese Association of Chinese Medicine and University of Adelaide, March 2018 (Plenary speaker)
Environmental microbiome gradients – The 29th Annual Scientific Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology. 25th Sept 2017 (Invited speaker)
Opportunities for improved transparency in the timber trade through advanced DNA analysis – Application of high throughput genotyping technologies for forest tree species identification and timber tracking. OCDE CRP workshop, Madrid, Spain, 14th Sept 2017 (Plenary speaker)
Managing, harnessing and protecting genetic resources of economically important plants – Traditional Chinese Medicine mini-symposium. Chinese Academic of Chinese Medicine and Zhendong, Beijing. 9th May 2017 (Plenary speaker)
Using DNA to conserve and protect forests – Asian Institute of Technology Seminar, Thailand, 1st March 2016 (Invited speaker)
Species and gene turnover along environmental gradients – windows into the future. Interconnectedness – Ecological Society of Australia Annual Conference, 30 Nov – 4 Dec 2015, The Hilton Hotel, Adelaide (Invited speaker)
Life Strikes Back: How the explosion of knowledge in genomics is enhancing our ability to conserve species – 22nd Annual Combined Biological Sciences Meeting, Perth, Australia. 24th Aug 2012 (Plenary speaker)
DNA Timber Tracking – Opportunities and Challenges – Identification of Timber Species and Origins Inception Workshop, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 24-26th April 2012 (Invited and funded plenary)
DNA Barcoding – Fourth International Barcode of Life Conference, 450 delegates, University of Adelaide, Dec 2011 (Opening speaker, presenter, debate convenor and host)
DNA Barcoding of Plants – XVIII International Botanical Congress, Melbourne, July 2013 (Invited speaker and session chair)
What are the key issues for South Australia for climate change adaptation and decision tools for adaptation –National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) – Terrestrial Biodiversity Node – National Roadshow, Adelaide, Australia, Feb 2011 (Invited speaker)
Practical experience: DNA applications for wood – DNA and Isotopic Typing Methods – Practical Tools for Checking the Indicated Origin of Wood, Joint WWF/GTZ meeting, Eschborn, Germany, Oct 2010 (Invited speaker)
Developing a DNA timber tracking protocol for merbau – Joint meeting of IAWA, IAWS and IUFRO, Madison, USA, June 2010 (Invited speaker)
Seeing the forest through the trees; Australasian tree diversity and tracking its source – IUFRO meeting, Malaysia, March 2010 (Invited speaker)
How do plants survive and adapt in an anthropomorphised landscape – GEOBON meeting, Fukuoka, Japan. Feb 2010 (Invited speaker)
How can we help biodiversity cope with the ravages of climate change? INTECOL, Brisbane, Australia. August 2009 (Invited speaker)
Invasive species adaptation; putting the evolution back into an ecology-dominated research area. Symposium on ‘Fifty years of invasion ecology – the legacy of Charles Elton’. Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Nov 2008 (Plenary speaker)
Tracking the geographic origin of timber using DNA – Meeting of Australian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network (AELERT), Adelaide, Australia, Oct 2008 (Invited speaker)
Mixing with the natives: The evolutionary potential of hybridization between invasive and indigenous plant species – Strangers in Paradise – Symposium on invasive evolution and ecology, Canberra, Australia, Feb 2006 (Plenary speaker)
Genetic resource management of the Meliaceae – 22nd International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), Brisbane, Australia, 8-13th Aug 2005 (Plenary speaker)
Ecological Genetics Group meeting, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, March 2003 (Co-convenor)
Spatial dynamics and natural regeneration summary – Dynamics and conservation of genetic diversity in forest ecosystems (DYGEN), Europe Parliament, Strasbourg, France, 2nd-5th Dec 2002 (Invited speaker and session convenor)
Testimonials
Professor Andy Lowe spoke for us at a CEDA Trustee boardroom event giving a senior industry and government audience the latest trends in Agrifood technology. He fielded several questions from attendees that covered many sectors of the food industry and demonstrated his expert knowledge with well-considered answers. Andy is connected with the international AgiTech community and has a great understanding of the local considerations and challenges of both the South Australian and Australian agricultural sectors. He has a candour that encourages discussion and is open to new ideas and technologies, making him a great asset to his adopted state of South Australia.
– Centre for Economic Development (SA)
Andy was one of the guest speakers invited to Clariden Global’s Innovation Food Safety, Traceability & Processing Technology Forum 2019. He has shown the strong knowledge & the subject matter expert within his field and articulate his thoughts well during his presentation. The presentation was both clear and entertaining, allowing the delegates to understand a difficult topic more easily. Hence the reason for his high rating, from Good to Excellent by over 50 delegates who participated in our survey after the conference. It has been a privilege to have attended one of his many conferences.
– Kliff Lim, Clariden Global, January 2019
Prof Andy Lowe 