Bio & Research Interests
I was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia and as a typical Aussie I have always had a strong affinity with the ocean. As an aspiring marine scientist, living on the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef, it was difficult to focus on any field other than coral reef ecology. I completed my Bachelor of Marine Science at the University of Queensland and did my honours project focusing on how herbivorous fishes affect seaweed abundance in Moreton Bay. Shortly after, realising the vast amount of knowledge lacking in coral reef ecology, combined with the fear of leaving the student lifestyle, I started my doctorate in 2011 under the supervision of Dr Guillermo Diaz-Pulido. My research is focused on ecological and physiological drivers of seaweeds in Moreton Bay and how seaweed competition affects coral growth and recruitment in high latitude reefs.
Qualifications
- BSc (Honours) Centre for Marine Studies, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia, 2008.
Awards, Scholarships & Fellowships
- Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) Marine Fish Habitat Scholarship, 2008.
Publications
• Gartrell, P., Brown, J., Burfeind, D., Townsend, K. and Tibbetts, I. (2012). Nutrients not grazers regulate epilithic algal biomass in a high latitude coral reef system.
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