Our team
Marine ecology
Prof Melanie Bishop
Co-leader, Macquarie University
Melanie has over 15 years of experience as a marine ecologist and leads a nationally and internationally respected team in the Department of Biological Sciences of 15 researchers from seven countries. Melanie is a past recipient of a NSW Scientist of the Year Award and a Young Tall Poppy Science Award Winner.
A/Prof Katherine Dafforn
Co-leader, Macquarie University
Katherine is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, recognised for her contributions to understanding and managing urban impacts in marine systems. She has also been engaged in the ecological design of marine foreshores and her work has contributed to several urban renewal projects.
Dr Mariana Mayer Pinto
Co-leader, UNSW
Mariana is a Scientia Fellow in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences whose research broadly focuses on human impacts on marine ecosystems. Mariana uses ecological theory and experimental field ecology to understand the mechanisms by which anthropogenic stressors affect biodiversity across a range of marine habitats.
Dr Aria Lee
Project Manager, Sydney Institute of Marine Science
Aria’s research background centres on investigating invasive species inhabiting coastal areas with high densities of anthropogenic structures. As Project Manager, Aria is responsible for managing the scientific monitoring, datasets and installations, ensuring project milestones are met and maintaining stakeholder relationships.
Industrial design
Alex Goad
Director & Industrial Designer, Reef Design Lab
Alex is passionate about using design to communicate research and is interested in digital manufacturing techniques for marine restoration. He works closely with the scientific team to develop various ecological designs that respond to current environmental issues. Alex’s work has been exhibited internationally and is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Helsinki Design Museum.
Current research students
Orla McKibbin
Doctor of Philosophy
Orla’s research investigates how coastal ecosystem functions are impacted by habitat modifications and the effectiveness of Living Seawalls panels in increasing ecosystem functioning on seawalls.
Minin Sinsona
Doctor of Philosophy
Minin is addressing how the benefits of eco-engineering interventions vary across predation gradients. Based in the Philippines, she is also conducting an inventory of marine built structures and assessment of their impacts in this tropical nation.
Research support
Living Seawalls has a wonderful team of casual resarchers, interns and volunteers. Thank you to all our research supporters!
Past contributors
Professor Emma Johnston - Emma's extensive research on the impact of artificial structures in the marine environment included surveys of how the new construction at the Barangaroo precinct would affect marine life. This led to the collaboration between Living Seawalls and Lendlease/iNSW.
Professor Peter Steinberg - As CEO of SIMS until 2020, Peter has supported Living Seawalls from its inception. He was instrumental in coordinating and securing funding for the Living Seawalls collaboration between Australia and Singapore.
Dr Beth Strain - Beth was the Postdoctral Researcher for the World Harbour Project- the precursor to Living Seawalls. Through her research in eco-engineering habitat complexity, Beth co-designed many features of the Living Seawalls panels.
Dr Maria Vozzo - Maria was the Living Seawalls Project Manager and Postdoctoral Researcher until 2021. She was pivotal to the installation of the first Living Seawalls, and developing relationships with stakeholders to expand Living Seawalls worldwide.
Past research students
Kate Dodds - PhD 2022 - Kate is investigated the optimisation of eco-engineered seawalls. She is considered stakeholder interest, and whether colour, habitat complexity or material selection affect the settlement micro- or macrobiotic communities.
Hanbin Yu - Honours 2022 - Habin’s research investigated the effects of different habitat panel designs placed at different depths on fish communities in Watermans Cove.He found that there was greater seasonal variation in fish communities in shallow areas compared with deeper zones.
Shin Ushiama - PhD 2021 - Shin investigated the effect of eco-modified artificial structures on the abundance and behaviour of crytobenthic fish. He found that cryptobenthic fish benfit from the variety of different microhabitats provided by habitat panels and these supported rare species not found on non-modified seawalls.
Stephanie Bagala - MRes 2021 - Stephanie investigated the effect of Living Seawalls panels on fish communities in terms of biodiversity and habitat usage. Her findings showed that seawalls modified with Living Seawalls panels supported fish assemblages analogous to those on natual rocky shores.
Gemma Clifton - MRes 2020 – Gemma’s research investigated how the benefits of adding complexity to seawalls varies spatially. She found that within Sydney Harbour, effects of complexity were not influenced by proximity to storm drains (a major source of contaminants) but were generally greater in the lower harbour (where the species pool of available colonists was greater) than the upper harbour.
Tegan Furchert - MRes 2019 - Tegan’s research centred on the prevalence of non-indigenous species (NIS) on Living Seawalls habitat panels. By comparing NIS in various microhabitats on habitat panels, Tegan found that NIS are most abundant in shaded areas at low intertidal elevations.
Lincoln Critchley – PhD 2018 – Lincoln examined impacts of seawalls on adjacent sedimentary and mangrove ecosystems. Specifically, he examined impacts of seawalls on wrack accumulation in these systems.