Although technologies, such as smartphone apps, exist to support monitoring and reporting of invasive pests and weeds, the rate of uptake by NZ landholders and the general public has been sporadic. This PhD project has the following aims:

1. To improve citizen-science monitoring of biosecurity threats through the use of innovative technology and psychological principles.

2. To accelerate the participation in biosecurity monitoring by NZ landholders and land managers.

3. To identify the number and nature of distinct groups of landholders and managers (audience segments) based their values, beliefs, cultural backgrounds, and current participation/non-participation in biosecurity monitoring initiatives.

4. To determine the most effective behaviour-change strategies to increase and maintain participation in biosecurity monitoring for each audience segment.

Key qualifications and skills

Community engagement, audience segmentation, behaviourally effective communication

Does the project come with funding

Yes - $28K per annum for 3 years plus study fees

Final date for receiving applications

Ongoing

Keywords

biosecurity; community; culture; values: citizen science;  technology; psychology