Biography

Dr Charlotte bridges the gap between academia, industry and the public and is known as the 'Public Relations Manager' for oceans, sharks and other misunderstood predators. Recently recognised as a Superstar of STEM with Science and Technology Australia and also an Australian STEM Ambassador, freelance science writer and facilitator, podcast and radio show host, Charlotte communicates the latest science in bite-sized pieces with her children's books, writing and film.

Dr Charlotte is a marine ecologist, educator, keynote speaker and author actively engaged in researching and communicating predators and ecosystem conservation. She is interested in predator behaviour and ecology, the impacts of predator removal, and how the media portrays sharks and other predators.

Always looking for answers, Charlotte has extensive presenting and travel experience (40+ countries and counting), has lived on three continents, including China and speaks Mandarin Chinese. As an avid wildlife science communicator, Charlotte uses these skills on her radio and podcast and regularly gives talks both in person and online to interested groups worldwide. With a background in teaching from prep to university level, she also provides online and in-person workshops on the wonders of the natural world, sharks (of course), the scientific method, writing and communication techniques.

Having been involved in marine science education, communication and megafauna research for over 10 years, Charlotte is experienced in shark and ray:

• monitoring
• tagging
• sampling (fin, blood, muscle etc)
• filming

as well as analysing the data and reporting on:

• where they are going and why
• what they are eating
• how many there are
• how they behave

Currently advising industry on offshore renewable energy, her research focuses on where sharks are, why they are there, whether we are protecting them and how they regulate ecosystems. For her PhD thesis, she spent over four months in the field in remote locations across Australia and the Chagos Archipelago, and then developed statistical models to determine where sharks are, why they are there, if their numbers are changing over time and where they are likely to be in the future with climate change. Alongside this, Charlotte has a BAppSc majoring in Ecology (awarded with Distinction) and a BA in International and Global Studies, majoring in Mandarin Chinese and a BSc(Honours first class) in shark and ray vertebral biomechanics.

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