I’m Vanessa and I recently submitted my PhD!

Here’s a little about my background:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD):

My focus over the last few years has been cetaceans, which is a collective term for whales, dolphins and porpoises. I have investigated threats for cetaceans around the world and applied theoretical frameworks to change our thinking on how we manage human activities in the ocean.

My most well-known research is the use of drones to collect whale snot for an assessment of whale health. I am also a big advocate for citizen science to assist scientists for wildlife conservation.

Master of Research (MRes):

My master of research looked at the use of whale alarms (small sound devices) to try and prevent whale entanglement in fishing gear.

This work was conducted off Sydney, where I learnt how to become a whale surveyor using a theodolite. This is a very precise machine placed on top of a tripod and connected to a computer using Pythagoras theorem (yes, high school math is important). I used it to track whale movements in the ocean. 

Bachelor of Science (BSc):

I studied Zoology and Evolution and Ecology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.

Perks of the job:

My research has taken me to some wonderful places around the world including Tonga, Antarctica and most recently Madagascar.

I’m also a passionate science communicator:

Watch me tell you all about whale snot:

My whale snot collection research explained in 60 seconds. This was filmed for the international BBC Earth presenter search.