Céline Frére

Celine Frere is a Swiss evolutionary biologist. In 2017, she was named one of Australia's first Superstars of STEM by Science & Technology Australia. She is known for co-founding USC's Detection Dogs for Conservation initiative, training sniffer dogs to aid in research and conversation efforts around endangered and protected species.

Early life and education Frere was born and raised outside of Geneva, Switzerland. After graduating high school in 1999, she moved to Australia to attend university. In 2002, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Queensland, where she studied humpback dolphins for her undergraduate research.

Career Frere became a research fellow at the University of the Sunshine Coast where she began her program of training dogs to follow the scent trail of koala poop to track where koalas were living and patters of habitation. The method served as the basis for USC's Detection Dogs for Conservation, which she co-founded with colleague Romane Critescu. The program is dedicated to promoting the use of detection dogs in environmental conservation efforts.

Awards and honours Superstar of STEM, Science & Technology Australia, 2017 Young Tall Poppy Science Award, Australian Institute of Policy and Science, 2020