Biographical entry Benkendorff, Kirsten (1973 - )

Summary

Kirsten Benkendorff work saw her discover more than triple the number of mollusc species previously recorded in the Illawarra/South Coast region of New South Wales. She also discovered a powerful antibiotic in the eggs of a sea snail. Benkendorff was Young Australian of the Year for Science and Technology in 2000.

Details

Events

1985 - 1990

Education - Attended Galston High School in New South Wales

1994

Education - Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc (Hons)) completed at Macquarie University in New South Wales

1994

Bill Cantwell Prize awarded for honours in biological sciences by Macquarie University in New South Wales

1995 - 1999

Career position - Demonstrator and Tutor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Wollongong, New South Wales

1997 - 1999

Career position - Casual Research Assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales

1999

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) on 'Bioactive molluscan resources and their conservation: Chemical and biological studies on the egg masses of marine molluscs' completed at the University of Wollongong

1999

Career position - Marine Consultant for the Shellharbour Council in New South Wales

1999 - 2000

Career position - Casual Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales

2000 -

Career position - Co-ordinator of the Marine Bioprospecting Initiative at the University of Wollongong

2000

Award - Young Australian of the Year for Science and Technology award received

2001

Award - New South Wales Young Australian of the Year Environment Category

2003 -

Career position - Lecturer in Marine Biology at Flinders University of South Australia

Related entries

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

• Biographical cuttings on Kirsten Benkendorff, scientist, Cuttings Files BIOG; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science Exhibitions

• McCarthy, Gavan; Morgan, Helen; Smith, Ailie; van den Bosch, Alan, Where are the Women in Australian Science?, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, 2003, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/wisa/wisa.html. Details

Online Resources

• 'Dr. Kirsten Benkendorff: Young Australian of the Year for Science and Technology', WISENET Journal, vol. 53, April, 2000, http://www.wisenet-australia.org/issue53/kirstenb.htm. Details
• 'Benkendorff Kirsten (19730526-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476355. Details