Cooper Schouten

Dr Cooper Schouten is a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Southern Cross University Bee Research and Extension Lab, based at the Faculty of Science and Engineering. His research focuses on strategic beekeeping industry development, with international experience in the Indo-Pacific region, including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Fiji. He oversees two ACIAR-funded projects addressing agribusiness, honey bee nutrition, biosecurity, varroa mite management, and gender equity in apiculture.

Education:

• BEnvSc (Southern Cross University)
• BSc (Hons) (Southern Cross University)
• PhD (Southern Cross University)

Research interests include beekeeping training, agroforestry systems, and participatory approaches to sustainable livelihoods. He serves on the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council and the editorial board of Bee World, and has developed educational materials for beekeeping industries in the Pacific.

Notable awards include the Early Career Alumnus of the Year (2021) and Southern Cross University Research Award (2023). His teaching spans regenerative agriculture, pest management, and environmental science, with a focus on practical, industry-relevant training.

Cooper currently supervises three PhD candidates and one Masters student, with prior experience supervising Honours and Integrated Projects. His work integrates academic research with community engagement, emphasizing direct benefits to beekeeping businesses.