Sharon McGavin

Data Analyst - Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre

Sharon McGavin

Email: smcgavi3@une.edu.au

Biography

Sharon completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronic) in 1999 through Canterbury University, NZ, and later a Bachelor of Science (Zoology & Archaeology) through UNE. Following several manufacturing roles, she worked for CSIRO agriculture in Townsville, which among other projects included GIS, data analysis and fieldwork for GPS cattle collar and methane laser trials. She joined AARSC in 2022 where she is working on AgriFutures projects developing remote sensing based decision support tools for the rice industry. She is also studying towards a PhD on the thermal biology of blossom bats.

Qualifications

BEhons (Electrical & Electronic), BSc (Zoology & Archaeology)

Currently studying towards a PhD in Zoology (Thermal biology of small megabats) and towards a Graduate Certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing.

Awards

Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment

Primary Research Area/s

Zoology; GIS; Remote Sensing

Research Interests

Machine Learning, Agriculture, Ecology, Animal behaviour

Publications

  • Brinkhoff, J., McGavin, S. L., Dunn, T., & Dunn, B. W. (2023). Predicting rice phenology and optimal sowing dates in temperate regions using machine learning. Agronomy Journal.
  • McGavin, S. L., Bishop-Hurley, G. J., Charmley, E., Greenwood, P. L., & Callaghan, M. J. (2018). Effect of GPS sample interval and paddock size on estimates of distance travelled by grazing cattle in rangeland, Australia. The Rangeland Journal, 40(1), 55-64.
  • Handcock, R. N., Gobbett, D. L., Gonzalez, L. A., Bishop-Hurley, G. J. & McGavin, S. L. (2016). A pilot project combining multispectral proximal sensors and digital cameras for monitoring tropical pastures. Biogeosciences, 13(16), 4673.
  • McGavin, S. (2009). Density and pair fidelity in a translocated population of North Island robin (Petroica longipes). Notornis, 56, 206-212.
  • McGavin, S. (2009). Footedness in North Island kākā (Nestor meridionalis septentrionalis). Notornis, 56, 139-143.

External Profiles