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Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne

I am a marine ecologist who is committed to the use of rigorous experimental research both to tackle important applied questions and to develop ecological theory. My focus is on the dynamics of fisheries populations, especially abalone, but my work extends also to abalone aquaculture; and the fisheries biology of chondrichthyans (sharks and their relatives) in collaboration with Terry Walker, and on the effects of climate change (ocean acidification in particular) on the formation of carbonate skeletons in marine organisms. My interests are broad: many questions about how the natural world works fascinate me, and I have published work for example on how sessile animal populations compete for space; how infauna are affected by predators; how animals can be aged; and escape responses to seastars. My most cited paper deals with how experimental treatments should be compared statistically. Current interests include how shell parasites interact with their hosts; how stress affects the immune status of abalone; how abalone metabolize food, what factors enhance collaborative management of fisheries; and how compensatory growth may affect fisheries management models.

Much of this work requires collaboration across disciplines - integrated interdisciplinary research. In particular I enjoy contributing to issues that are important to how people live - solutions to help fishers and fishing companies, aquaculture producers, and others; and such work often involves collaboration with other researchers. I have established an international reputation for such collaborative work, with over 70 peer-reviewed papers.

Experience

  • –present
    Associate Professor, University of Melbourne