Rachael Rodney Harris

Rachael Rodney Harris is a Lecturer at the Fenner School of Environment and Society and a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH) at the Australian National University (ANU). She leads innovation training and education at the Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT) and convenes the Master of Agricultural Innovation program, emphasizing cross-disciplinary, industry-collaborative approaches to address agricultural challenges.

• Research Interests: Nutritional physiology of ruminants, mineral/vitamin metabolism, animal health epidemiology, One Health, and climate change's impact on agriculture.
• Education: PhD in Veterinary Science (University of Sydney, with collaboration at University of Florida); B. AnVetBioSc (Hons, First Class) in reproduction.

Her recent research explores the physiological links between calcium metabolism and serotonin in dairy cattle, mental health impacts of bushfires through the lens of solastalgia, and psychometric validation of environmental distress scales. She also investigates body satisfaction and cognitive reappraisal strategies in mental health during crises like the 2019-2020 bushfires and the COVID-19 lockdown.

Projects include leading initiatives on zero-emission agriculture, psychological resilience in disasters, and biosecurity research. She is currently involved in the Zero Net Emission Agriculture CRC and the Reducing childhood psychological distress in disasters study, focusing on disaster response and mental health interventions.