Creating power grids of the future

Modern power grids are undergoing a revolution. Coal, oil and gas technologies are being phased out in favour of renewable energy sources and there’s an increasing uptake of large-scale battery storage and electric cars.

That’s good news for combatting the climate crisis. But with so many more energy variables to juggle, it can be tricky balancing supply and demand to prevent catastrophic blackouts.

How a bird in the hand inspired a researcher’s quest to protect wetland species

The first bird Birgita Hansen held - a tiny red-capped plover - had a profound impact on her life. 

“It was the most magnificent creature in the hand,” she recalls. “And I thought, ‘This is amazing!’ From there, I developed a connection to shorebirds and found them fascinating.”

A Senior Research Fellow at Federation University’s Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation, Dr Hansen’s childhood love of animals and study of zoology led to a passion for protecting shorebirds and their wetland habitat.