Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Dr Rosemary (Ro) McFarlane is a teaching-research academic in the Discipline of Public Health. She is member of Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) Global Research Centre and is colead of the ACT HEAL Community of Practice. Her expertise is in the intersection of human, animal and environmental health. She has significant professional experience and expertise at the interface between health, biodiversity, environmental sustainability and food production. Her unique perspectives derive in part from her initial training as a Veterinarian, and direct hands-on experience in primary production and natural resource management in marginal climatic and agronomic regions. Her PhD training was with the late Professor Tony McMichael and his team of experts in the area of the health impacts of climate and broader ecological change.
Ro works extensively with community groups and government to develop landscape-level health solutions. She facilitated the declaration of the 9.8 million ha Ngaanyatjarra Indigenous Protected Area, W.A., and was an instigator of Australian Antarctic Division’s biosecurity measures to protect Antarctic wildlife from human and livestock diseases. She has a long association with Landcare in NSW, ACT and NT, Catchment Management Associations and local food producers.
Ro also works on collaborative projects with WHO, IUFRO, IUCN, and other international organisations. She isco-ordinating lead author on the Health chapter of the Nexus Assessment (Biodiversity Water, Food Health and Climate ) for the Intergovernmental Panel of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Her current research explores health linkages in ecosystem service frameworks and translating global environmental sustainability policy to local solutions. This includes local food system resilience, quality of parks and greenspace on health and wellbeing and zoonotic disease ecology.
Research interests
HEAL Global Research Centre
Climate Change Adaptation Resilience and Recovery Network
Future of Food in the Capital Region research group
Co-ordinating lead author/Health - Nexus Assessment/ Intergovernmental Panel of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Education/Academic qualification
Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, Higher Education Academy (HEA)
Award Date: 1 Mar 2025
PhD, PhD, Australian National University
… → 2014
Award Date: 1 Jul 2014
Master, Master of Resource Science (Ecostystem Management), University of New England
… → 2005
Award Date: 1 Nov 2005
Bachelor, B>VSc., The University of Sydney
… → 1989
Award Date: 1 Nov 1989
External positions
ACT Climate Change Council
1 Jul 2025 → …
Coordinating Lead Author, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
1 Dec 2022 → 18 Dec 2025
Fellow, Frank Fenner Foundation
1 Sept 2017 → 1 Sept 2019
Visiting Fellow, Australian National University
1 Nov 2015 → 1 Nov 2016
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 15 Life on Land
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
Projects
- 2 Finished
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Climate and Health Policy Expertise
VARDOULAKIS, S. (CI), OKOKON, E. (CoI), Turner, M. R. (CoI), McFarlane, R. (CoI), Charlesworth, K. (CoI), WANGDI, K. (CoI), VYAS, A. (CoI), GOODMAN, N. (CoI), KAZDA, L. (CoI), INDU, G. (CoI), Matthews, V. (CoI), Hanigan, I. (CoI), Haddock, R. (CoI), Tong, M. (CoI) & Williams, C. (CoI)
29/01/24 → 31/10/25
Project: Other
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CBRLocalFood: mapping and quantifying home and community foord production through citizen science
McFarlane, R. (CI)
16/01/23 → 1/11/23
Project: Research
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ASPIRE: a pedagogical framework for integrating generative artificial intelligence in public health education
Mengesha, Z. B., Estellore, J., Smith, J. & McFarlane, R. A., 5 Jun 2026, In: Frontiers in Education. p. 1-7 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Integrating Generative AI into public health education: a mixed methods evaluation of student experiences
Mengesha, Z. B., Estellore, J., Smith, J., GEORGE, S., McFarlane, R. A. & Parmar, J., Jul 2026, In: Frontiers in Public Health. p. 1-11 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Preparing the nursing workforce for heat-adaptation and heat-health leadership
ABBOTT, B., McFarlane, R. A., FRANK, G., Holmes, M. & Ward, A., Jul 2026, In: Teaching and Learning in Nursing. 21, 3, p. 1-5 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Monkeypox in South Asia: A systematic Review
Wangdi, K., Adhikary, R., Liu, Z., Vardoulakis, S., McFarlane, R. A., Kotepui, M., Hu, W., Suwannatrai, A. T. & Tsheten, T., 2025, In: Emerging Microbes and Infections. p. 1-24 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Promoting adherence in couples-based lifestyle interventions: a pathway to intergenerational health equity
Nizamani, S., McFarlane, R. A., KNIGHT-AGARWAL, C. & SOMERSET, S., 2025, In: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 84, OCE1, p. E22 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting Abstract › peer-review
Activities
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Everyday Food, Everday Justice - Creating Sustainable Food Futures in Canberra
ZOUWER, N. (Speaker), TURNER, B. (Speaker) & McFarlane, R. (Speaker)
21 Mar 2026Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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IPBES Nexus Assessment: analysis of response options
McFarlane, R. (Speaker)
24 Jun 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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Health in the Nexus Assessment- insights for One Health
McFarlane, R. (Speaker)
2 May 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Securing human health in a growing Adelaide
McFarlane, R. (Speaker)
28 Feb 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Solutions for the Planet's Interlinked Challenges No. 2 Health
McFarlane, R. (Speaker)
25 Feb 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Press/Media
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Adaptable way forward or ‘vague discussion paper’? Consultation opens on ACT climate change strategy
29/01/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Researchers at University of Canberra Have Reported New Data on Monkeypox (Monkeypox In South Asia: a Systematic Review)
McFarlane, R. A., VARDOULAKIS, S. & WANGDI, K.
9/01/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Findings in the Area of Sustainable Food and Agriculture Reported from University of Canberra (Traditional place-based diets and their effects on healthy and sustainable food transitions: a systematic literature review)
NAUMOVSKI, N. & McFarlane, R. A.
19/11/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Ready, set, paint: UC students transform urban underpass in Belconnen
14/11/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Weaving diverse knowledges into climate action for better health: HEAL networks international conference puts UC research in the spotlight
7/11/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities