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Forget boardrooms and blazers, board research boats, and put on your wetsuit! 

I'm an environmentally passionate scientist with a strong academic foundation and diverse experience in marine ecology, conservation, as well as environmental management and international policy. In my professional journey so far, I have had the unique opportunity to partake in the yet-to-be-improved dialogue between scientists, governments, business & industry leaders, local communities, and higher authorities such as the EU Commission, EU Parliament, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. 

As I dived back into academia, my journey has taken me across various ecological realms, equipping me with the knowledge and skills required to address complex environmental challenges and conduct impactful research, spanning deep-sea shark physiology, marine mammal conservation, Southern Ocean dynamics, nature-based solutions, and all things kelp. 

Today, my lab coat may smell like seaweed and my hair may be beyond repair, courtesy of saltwater damage, but I feel like a phycological Indiana Jones, diving into tangled kelp forests armed with my data sheets and a heart full of curiosity.

Project: Physiological Insights into Kelp Resilience and Adaptation To Environmental Stressors: A Roadmap for Restoration 

Supervisors: Katherine Dafforn (Macquarie University), Melanie Bishop (Macquarie University), Mariana Mayer-Pinto (UNSW) 

Project description: 

As the unfolding impacts of rising sea temperatures coincide with the contamination associated with intensifying coastal development, marine ecosystems face unprecedented pressure. Combining field-based research and mesocosm experiments, my PhD research takes a dual approach, with the overarching goal to create resilient underwater gardens that yield benefits for both society and the sea. First, I will attempt to unlock the secrets of adaptive strategies of kelp forests under predicted climate change and increased urbanisation, and second, I will investigate the potential of kelp as a nature-based solution to clean our waters. By bridging ecological and evolutionary theory with practical applications, this project aims to drive effective, forward-looking conservation strategies that leverage nature’s power to benefit the people who rely on it.