Whale-come, I’m Vanessa.
I’m a whale/wildlife scientist connecting people to their blue backyard.
I work together with First Nation Knowledge holders, Governments, industry and with the general public. I’m bringing awareness to STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts and Math) in the everyday as a leading voice in my field, through science and science communication.
I’m on a mission to make science accessible, so together, we can be informed about our blue backyard.
But it’s not just marine wildlife. I lead exciting, collaborative and cross generational research. My work directly informs how we protect species globally. I’m active in sharing my findings and informing people through science communication. I go beyond writing scientific publications and transforming how scientists engage with the general public.
Presenter |
Scientist |
Woman in STEAM |
Presenter | Scientist | Woman in STEAM |
‘Dr Pirotta has inspired me with her passion to unlock the secrets of the largest animals on the planet.’
— Terri Irwin“Dr Vanessa is a multi-award winning scientist who is able to conduct science and communicate it well. This is an art”
— Lisa M. “She is just a delight and such a wonderful female ambassador for STEM.”
— Sandy V. My work has been featured in
Blogs
News & Updates
My latest TED Global Ideas Search talk is LIVE
Learn more about my teams illegal wildlife trafficking detection research via my 6 minute TED Global Idea Search talk. March 2026
My latest scientific publication
Read my teams latest contribution to the detection of illegal wildlife trafficking via different methods. March 2026
Watch the doco as part of TED’s Global Ideas Search
Go behind the scenes of what it takes to become a TED speaker. March 2026
2025 Recipient of
SciComm Excellence.
SciComm Excellence awards, given by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Sciences. Meet some of the fabulous people in this international community I’m now part of.
WHY THIS WORK MATTERS
We can only protect what we know. I’m the next generation helping people connect with the world around us.
The time is now to be asking questions about the future.