Dr Cooper Schouten is the project manager for the Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods Research Group and Lecturer at Southern Cross University.

Cooper specialises in international agricultural research and has extensive beekeeping research, capacity building, training and extension experience working throughout the Indo-Pacific region with local government, private sector, and NGO’s.

Cooper is an editorial board member of the journal Bee World and is an active member of the NSW Apiarists Association. Cooper participates in online beekeeping forums, offers beekeeping mentoring and extension services and his work seeks to enhance economic development and partnerships between the Australia-Pacific beekeeping sector.

His research has an industry-engaged focus that seeks to provide direct benefits to the honey bee industries in the Pacific and improve outcomes for honey bee biosecurity and conditions to safeguard food security in Australia.