Dr Phelps is a rangeland scientist with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, President of the Australian Rangeland Society, Past-president of his local Rotary Club, Chair of the Western Queensland Drought Appeal, and Australian representative on the International Rangelands Congress Committee and International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists steering committee. David has published nearly 150 journal and conference papers, industry information and fact sheets, wall charts, maps, booklets and book chapters. He currently leads extension services across western Queensland to help build on-farm business resilience to drought, commodity price collapses and other external impacts. David grew up on a mixed cropping, sheep and beef farm in western New South Wales, attended an agricultural high school, studied agriculture at university and enjoys the company of kelpie working dogs.