Be more Pacific

Delve into the deeper habitats on the inter-reef seafloor of the northern Great Barrier Reef, where vast meadows of green macroalgae build huge donut shaped sediment mounds. What are they, who lives there, and why do we care?

Mardi McNeil is a sessional academic and PhD candidate in the School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Science at QUT, and recipient of the 2018 Australian Coral Reef Society Terry Walker Award. She studies carbonate sediments in tropical reef systems.

Decision making requires processing multiple, sometimes complex information. Can we use science to guide crucial management decisions that create the best outcomes for nature and people in iconic areas of Australia and Indonesia?

Dr Carwardine uses scientific approaches to guide decisions for the survival of threatened species and ecosystems, while considering broader cultural, economic and social values.

Many of us have a pumice stone in our bathroom, but did you know that pumice provides a vehicle for marine animals and plants to disperse throughout the Pacific? Seems there's more to this porous stone than meets the eye!

Dr Velasquez recently graduated with a PhD in community ecology and is an associate lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology. Her thesis was nominated for an 'outstanding doctoral thesis' award. She has an interest in scientific communication and storytelling.