Monzu

Nic Monzu (B.Sc. (Hon), Ph.D.) is project leader for the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity CRC20137: Khapra Beetle Diagnostics Project.

Dr Monzu is the Principal Entomologist and Group Manager of the Entomology Discipline Group. He has spent the last 10 years as the manager of the Pest and Disease Management project in the Plant Biosecurity Program which specialises in surveillance and preparedness activities. He is especially interested in the establishment of effective surveillance and diagnostic capabilities to provide early and accurate detection of incursions of exotic pests and diseases.

Dr Monzu joined Agriculture Western Australia in 1979 as the sheep blowfly Entomologist. He initiated the interdisciplinary team approach on researching critical aspects of the sheep blowfly problem, with an Entomologist, Sheep and Wool researcher and a microbiologist working together. This work continued for some 12 years and was funded by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy which invested some $2.5 million in the research activities of the group.

During Dr Monzu’s 30 years career with the Agency he has been involved at a managerial and to a lesser extent in a research capacity for the initiation and/or development of, Biocontrol of weeds and dung beetle, fresh fruit disinfestation, management of Western Flower Thrips problem, eradication of incursions of Queensland fruit , Mediterranean fruit fly and codling moth from WA and the development of the novel temperature sensitive lethal MedFly sterile insect technique program to eradicate incursions of Medfly in South Australia and the Ord River Irrigation Area in Western Australia.