Polly has worked for the Australian Public Service since 2019 in the agriculture and environment portfolios. Her career goal is to help the Australian Public Service get the most out of science on behalf of the Australian public. Working at the intersection between science and public policy, she has led the development of biosecurity policies and international trade negotiations to reduce animal disease risk to Australia. Her involvement in the development of strategic plans for the management of Australian Marine Parks helped shape how science is used to maintain marine park values.

Her PhD research aims to reduce disease risks associated with aquaculture - one of the fastest growing primary industries worldwide and a key contributor to Australian food security. By improving detection methods and informing aquatic animal biosecurity policy, Polly’s PhD seeks to limit the spread of significant diseases which have severe economic impacts on a global scale. The tools produced throughout Polly’s candidature, such as a computational tool which identifies suitable genetic targets for diagnostic tests, and an environmental DNA test for viruses, might also be used in the terrestrial animal biosecurity or human health spaces.

Polly completed honours at The University of Sydney in 2018 in animal science. She joined the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as a graduate in 2019 whilst continuing her education at ANU studying science, technology and public policy. As Chair of the Women’s Gender Equity Network at the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry in 2023, Polly remains a keen promotor of women in science. 

Supervisors: Dr Nicholas Moody (CSIRO), Professor Robert Lanfear (ANU)

Publications

• Dudley J S, Hannaford P, Dowland S N, Lindsay L A, Thompson M B, Murphy C R, Van Dyke J C and Whittington C M (2021) ‘Structural changes to the brood pouch of male pregnant seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis) facilitate exchange between father and embryos’ Placenta 114: 115-123.