Dr Diane Allen
Science leader, Soil, Catchment and Riverine Processes, Landscape Sciences, Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.
See Dr Allen’s full research profile here.
Research outputs linked to policy change and decision-making
- Current. Method and assurance pathway to assess soil condition for land restoration and co-benefit outcomes. The Queensland Government’s $500 million Land Restoration Fund (LRF) aims to expand carbon farming in the state by supporting land-sector projects that deliver additional environmental, social and economic co-benefits. Soil health is identified as a potential co-benefit in the LRF co-benefit standard, a framework supporting LRF program governance that specifies how co-benefits are to be identified, measured, reported and verified for the purposes of projects contracted through the LRF. As part of the LRF research, development and innovation (RDI) workstream, Dr Allen interacts across policy-science-program delivery areas, in a team approach developing a method to assess soil condition, including pathways for verification under the LRF co-benefit standard to verify soil health co-benefit. Effectively harnessing science and evidence is critical to achieving the short-term to medium-term outcomes defined in the LRF’s program logic. A main objective of the RDI workstream is to harness research, development and innovation to maximise opportunities for carbon farming to deliver priority co-benefits. The LRF program investment rounds are linked to a monitoring, reporting and evaluation framework across the program, including a formal evaluation of projects utilising methods and assurance pathways, reporting at the portfolio scale.
- 2006–present. Delivering science to inform how we manage Queensland’s landscapes is central to the work undertaken in Landscape Sciences team, where Dr Allen is based. The Soil, Catchment and Riverine Processes Team she leads works across three broad themes: 1) carbon and nutrient landscape processes, including soils and sediments; 2) decision-support for landscape protection, rehabilitation and condition improvement processes and building catchment resilience; and 3) policy and technical advice, tools and methods. Key projects during this period that Dr Allen has been involved in include greenhouse gas assessment under mangrove, sugarcane and afforestation land uses (projects under the former Australian Department of Climate Change) and national soil carbon programs (federal Soil Carbon Research Program, 2009–2012; National Soil Carbon Program; 2012–2016). These activities involved participation on Australian Government soil carbon method working groups, a collaborative approach through regional data collection and workshop engagement to deliver program outcomes.
Current academic employment and positions
- science leader, landscape sciences, science delivery and knowledge, Science and Technology Division
- 2012–2021: adjunct fellow, The University of Queensland.
Highest qualification
- 2008: PhD (Science), The University of Queensland.
Major prizes, medals and honours
- 2015: invited professional visiting scientist, NorthWest A&F University, China
- 2008 H. William Kerr Memorial Award, ASSCT
- 2006 Baden-Württemberg Stipend for international scientists, Germany.
Roles on government or regional organisation committees
- assisting Office of Queensland Chief Scientist in evaluation of citizen science investment program (2019) and Independent Assessment Report: Flooding in Sandy Creek Catchment, Mackay, following Tropical Cyclone Debbie (2017). Both activities involved assessment of relevant government policy, evidence-base to support assessment, associated environmental outcomes and recommendations to action.
My Projects
Current project
Completed project
NESP RLH, 2021-2027NESP, 2015-2021NERP, 2012-2015TRaCK, 2005-present
