Dr Alejandra Vargas-Fonseca
Affiliation: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Department of Oceanography & Marine Spatial Planning Research Chair
Email Address: ale@earthcollective.net
Research Interest(s): Marine Top Predators; Ocean Health
Description of Research: Dr Vargas-Fonseca’s work focuses on marine top predators, ranging from research conducted on dolphin genetics and distribution, to habitat use in relation to Marine Protected Areas. She is currently involved in the MARISCO Project (Marine Research and Innovation for a Sustainable management of Coasts and Oceans). Her focus is on scenario planning of global environmental change and the resulting cumulative impact on natural systems and the human values dependent on biodiversity, extending to human impacts and the Ocean Health Index.
Dr Diane Le Gouvello
Affiliation: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Department of Zoology
Email Address: diane.legouvello@gmail.com
Research Interest(s): Conservation Biology; Beach Ecosystems
Description of Research: Dr Le Gouvello's research focuses on sea turtle fitness, sandy beach ecology, and long-term environmental monitoring.
Dr Minke Tolsma
Affiliation: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Department of Oceanography
Email Address: minke.witteveen@gmail.com
Research Interest(s): Conservation; Human-wildlife Interactions; Anthropogenic Impacts; Marine and Freshwater Ecology
Description of Research: Dr Witteveen's research focuses on the ecological functioning of Groenvlei, a paleo-coastal limnetic wetland. Her research will determine the present ecological state of Groenvlei, and how effective current control of the invasive common carp is, and how carp control affects water quality and phytoplankton community composition.
Dr Monique Nunes
Affiliation: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Shallow Water Ecosystems Research Chair
Email Address: mnunes3712@gmail.com
Research Interest(s): Estuaries; Water Quality; Ecological Monitoring
Description of Research: Dr Nunes' work focuses on estuarine ecology, water quality, and diatom autecology and taxonomy.
Dr Tegan Carpenter-Kling
Affiliation: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Department of Oceanography & Marine Spatial Planning Research Chair
Email Address: tegan.carpenterkling@gmail.com
Research Interest(s): Behavioural Ecology; Foraging; Animal Tracking; Habitat Selection; Stable Isotopes; Trophic Ecology
Description of Research: Dr Carpenter-Kling's research investigates general seabird ecology, with expertise on how marine top predators utilise the ocean.
Dr Ntombizanele (Zanele) Hartmann
Affiliation: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow – Ocean Cultures and Heritage Chair
Email Address: zanele.hartmann@gmail.com
Research Interest(s): The interconnectedness of nature and people; and coastal blue spaces and human well-being
Description of Research: Dr Hartmann’s research investigates the nature of identity, community and heritage in coastal communities and villages. Her studies focus on the perceived benefits of exposure to coastal blue spaces to the health and human well-being of diverse actors in the Colchester and Sunday River areas.