Professor Gisela Kaplan

Biography

Professor Gisela Kaplan is an Emeritus Professor in Animal Behaviour in the School of Science and Technology. She is the author of over 250 research articles and 23 books, and has conducted ground-breaking research into vocal learning, communication and cognition of birds and other vertebrates. She has become a public voice for science on wildlife, especially native birds, and is regularly heard in public media.

Professor Kaplan has been recognised by a series of awards for her research and writings such as a shared human rights award in 1994, a Federation Community Services Award in 2001 (for services to wildlife), a Wilderness Society Award (2005), as a winner of the Australian Publishing Association Award in the single book category (2005). In 2011 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science as a lifetime achievement award by the University of New England. Her book 'The Australian Magpie' attained bestseller status by the publisher and in 2016 her book 'Bird Minds. Cognition and behaviour of Australian native Birds' was awarded a prestigious Whitley Award (behavioural zoology). In 2024, Prof. Kaplan's work was nationally recognised and awarded an AM (Membership of the Order of Australia) for (citation): "significant services to science education via research in animal behaviour".

Professor Kaplan serves on a variety of national and international granting bodies, is member of Editorial Boards of some leading journals, and regularly reviews papers for 25 prestigious scientific international journals. She is regularly consulted by the media (national and international) and at times has her own segment on bird behaviour on ABC radio outlets plus podcasts on bird behaviour. She has advised and contributed scientific information to filmmakers and television documentary teams throughout the world. In her spare time Prof. Kaplan continues to participate in animal welfare debates, in environmental education and science interest in school children and the general public. She also rehabilitates native birds under licence and has done so for 30 years. In 2023.

In 2021, Wild Dingo Press published a book about Gisela's life in its "Aussie STEM Stars" Series (15 scientists have so far featured in this series), called Gisela Kaplan. Bird and primate scientist, written by Emily Gale for primary school children. The series was created  to generate and foster children's interest in science generally and make them consider a potential future science career.