Nicole is a marine ecologist with 20 years’ experience of working in conservation management with NGOs, public and private agencies in the UK, Caribbean, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. She gained practical conservation management experience as a Manager of a Caribbean National Marine Park for eight years whilst producing and coordinating Management Plans, Biodiversity Action Plans and Environmental Impact Assessments.
Based at Swansea University, Nicole's research interests lie in improving our understanding of spatial and habitat use by marine fauna, with a focus on sea turtles and fish. Current research projects include increasing our understanding of movement of sea turtles in the Western Indian Ocean, impacts of marine debris on sea turtles and tracking salmonid fish movements using acoustics in the Bristol Channel. Nicole teaches modules on tropical marine ecology and conservation and skills to assess marine biodiversity via a range of tools and applications.
Nicole is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group and has been appointed by DEFRA UK to the Western Indian Ocean sea turtle task force. She has an ongoing personal interest in co-management of natural resources, stakeholder engagement within conservation management and communication of conservation and research activities to the wider public.