David A Newell

Dr David A Newell serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Science and Engineering within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University. His academic career is dedicated to amphibian conservation, particularly focusing on rainforest frogs in Australia's subtropical regions, with significant contributions to understanding climate change impacts and disease ecology.

Dr Newell earned both his BSc and PhD from Southern Cross University, establishing deep institutional roots. His educational background forms the foundation for his specialized research in environmental science and wildlife conservation.

His research spans amphibian conservation, herpetology, disease ecology, and ecoacoustics, with emphasis on chytridiomycosis impacts, Philoria frog ecology, and bioacoustic monitoring techniques. Current projects investigate climate change effects on montane rainforest frogs, host-pathogen dynamics, and ecoacoustic applications for threatened species surveillance, directly addressing critical biodiversity threats in fire-affected ecosystems.

Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals concentrated research on Australian megafire consequences, chytrid fungus dynamics across amphibian life stages, and innovative conservation technologies like passive acoustic monitoring. His work integrates genomic, physiological, and ecological approaches to document post-fire biodiversity impacts and develop mitigation strategies for endangered species.

• Southern Cross University Research Award (2023)

Dr Newell actively supervises postgraduate students researching threatened forest fauna, particularly amphibians, while teaching core undergraduate courses in Geographic Information Systems and Wildlife Conservation. His research program likely operates through competitive grants focused on fire ecology, disease management, and conservation technology development, though specific funding sources aren't detailed in available materials.