August 2017
We are excited to announce that we have a number of new PhD and Post-Doctoral researchers starting in the Pandolfi lab this year.
Steve Dalton is a post-doctoral researcher in the School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland, but situated at the National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour. Steve has extensive knowledge of marine habitats along the NSW and southern QLD coastline. He is currently undertaking research focussed on assessing the potential for tropical coral species migration to higher latitudes and understanding the mechanisms that enable warm water coral specialist to grow and persist at marginal reefs along the eastern seaboard. This work aims to assess the influence of elemental stoichiometry in corals and their symbionts in determining how changes in metabolic rates might define latitudinal limits in the distribution of reef corals.
For more information see Steve’s profile.
Nataly Gutierre Isaza comes to us from Colombia where she completed her Bachelors in biology, and she completed her Masters in Natural Resources and Rural Development in Mexico. She has an interest in reef dynamics and competition between hard corals and macroalgae, the causes of coral reef degradation as well as the traits involved in coral species adaptation to novel environmental conditions imposed by climate change.
Her PhD will focus on the ecological stoichiometry of coral larvae along the latitudinal gradient in eastern Australia. For more information see Nataly’s profile.
Karin Zwiep has returned to the Pandolfi lab to undertake her PhD after an eight-month research visit during her masters. Karin completed her masters of environmental biology and bachelor in biology at Utrecht University, Holland. She has been involved in research projects from crustacean-ciliate symbioses in Dutch waters to dinoflagellate cysts and pollen in the Mediterranean sapropels, as well as genetic diversity and connectivity of Symbiodinium in high latitude reefs along the Australian coast.
Her current PhD project will work on community structure changes and phase shifts of coral reef
ecosystems using ancient DNA. For more information see Karin’s profile.