Amy Robbins

I’ve always been passionate about animals and embarked on my career in wildlife conservation after completing a Bachelor of Science with a major in Zoology at the University of Queensland in 2000. During my final year of university I’d volunteered at the local Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and I was lucky enough to be offered a position there when I graduated (the first time!). I spent the next five years working at zoos across the globe including London Zoo and Australia Zoo in the role of koala supervisor. I longed for an opportunity to make more of an impact at the ‘front line’ of conservation, so returned to the University of Queensland to study a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. I graduated as the dux of the school with first class honours and a university medal in 2009 and returned to London to work in small animal practice and earn my stripes as a veterinarian.

After 5 years as a clinician, home (Australia) was calling and I landed my dream job with Dr Jon Hanger at Endeavour Veterinary Ecology helping to manage a koala population in South East Queensland. Over the last 4 years I have treated many cases of chlamydial disease in this population, gradually accumulating a range of observations and questions about chlamydial pathogenesis. Last year I was given the opportunity to further develop a long-standing relationship with the highly respected Professor Peter Timms and answer some of my burning questions about this debilitating disease in my furry friends, and started a PhD at the University of the Sunshine Coast under his guidance. I have been a co-author on several submitted and published papers about koala Chlamydia and population management, presented at the 2017 Australian Chlamydia Conference, and recently started working as a Researcher at the Brisbane Koala Science Institute.

July 2018