“Dr Stephen Ambrose has over 37 years professional experience as a fauna ecologist, with specialist expertise in ornithology. A boyhood interest and enthusiasm for birdwatching, together with encouragement from many mentors at the right times in life, led to the inevitability of this career (and lifestyle) choice. Now, as an “elder” in this field, he plays an important role mentoring younger generations of environmentalists, recognising how important mentoring was in shaping his life.

After completing his doctorate in Zoology at the University of Western Australia (specialising in avian ecology), Stephen taught vertebrate and conservation zoology at the University of New England (1985-86) and Australian National University (1987-89). After leaving academia, he worked for 10 years at the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (RAOU, a predecessor of BirdLife Australia), first as the National Co-ordinator of the Australian Bird Count Project, then as the inaugural Head of Bird Research and Conservation. From 1999-2020, Stephen was the Principal Ecologist at Ambrose Ecological Services Pty Ltd, specialising in the assessment and management of impacts of development and other activities on the status of woodland, migratory shorebird and waterbird populations. In October 2021, he was made an Honorary Fellow (Life-time Membership) of the Ecological Consultants Association of NSW Inc (ECA) in recognition of his long-term services to the ECA and for the development and promotion of high-standards in the ecological consulting industry in NSW.

Throughout his career he has been passionate about communicating and involving the general community in science and conservation, especially in relation to ecological research, species conservation and climate change. Stephen has also been on executive boards of many organisations. Although officially retired from work, he is an active board member the Royal Zoological Society of NSW, he recently stepped down from the board of the ECA NSW (6.5 of 12 years on the board as its President), and is now the lead Scientific Advisor for Wild Earth Oceania. 

Outside of these official roles, Stephen currently spends time researching the impacts of light and noise pollution on urban bird populations, promoting the latest environmental news on social media, providing environmental advice to executive boards and, whenever possible, engaged in recreational birdwatching.”