I am a committed advocate for marine conservation
My nomadic life in Australia built the foundations of a deep appreciation of nature. It wasn't until I was hiking along the peaks of the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal that I started to question the role of ecology and physiology on the distribution of species. During my undergraduate degree at Macquarie University in Sydney, I realised how little was known about our coastal marine environments and the importance of long-term ecological trends. This kicked started my journey to become a marine biologist, or more specifically, a marine palaeoecologist specialised in tropical carbonate sedimentology (coral reefs ecosystems and Large Benthic Foraminifera). The primary aim of my research is to use the rigor of science to guide environmental policy and aid decision makers.
My scientific interests focus on historical, present, and future dynamics of marine calcifying organisms, from gene to geology. Highlights of my career include being the chief sedimentologist on the RV Meteor in the North Atlantic and the chief scientists on the Queen Mabel in the Galápagos Archipelago; collaborating with numerous other researchers to build experimental aquatic systems; teaching, supervising, and mentoring students; as well as, public outreach and community engagement.
I couldn't have done any of this without the support, intelligence, humour, and endless hours of work (both underwater and in the lab) with my dear colleagues and of course all the funding agencies, thank you!