Making waves beyond academia

Living in some of the world’s most picturesque settings was Isabel’s reality for the better part of a decade. She travelled from the Bahamas to Philippines, French Polynesia to Hawaii, Japan to Colombia to conserve and restore coral reefs. 

Along the way she has been named a Coral Champion and is an established National Geographic Explorer.

“I really see nature as equal to me. I feel very connected to it. Research was a way to go into the reef and be in contact with the corals,” Isabel explains.

A journey to a PhD

Isabel meticulously built her skills and knowledge on assignments until another opportunity arose four years ago. Armed with years of experience, Isabel found herself uniquely placed to take on a mammoth research project that evaluated the success of coral reef restoration interventions on the Great Barrier Reef.

That’s when she left her latest research assignment in French Polynesia to land at the UTS Climate Change Cluster to pursue her PhD.

“I came to my PhD with a lot of knowledge and worldwide connections. I already had an extensive background in coral biology, ecology, physiology and coral reef restoration, so I applied my previous knowledge to my PhD research.

“The PhD is more to me than the title. It is self-knowing: knowing myself in this process, my value and realising that I am very capable of anything I put my mind to. I learned so much about myself and how I want to express myself in this world.” 

A holistic approach to coral reef restoration

Passion, paired with experience and years of knowledge came together in Isabel’s PhD research. She examined different aspects of coral reef biology and ecology that aren’t usually considered when restoring corals. 

By looking at ecosystems that coral reefs sustain, such as wave attenuation (reefs can reduce the power of waves) and food chains (reefs are home to unique wildlife), Isabel’s research developed a well-rounded evaluation of coral restoration programs. As a result, Isabel’s research can support organisations to identify where to focus their efforts for the best ecological outcomes.

Isabel also highlights the importance of an individual’s choices on the ecological state of corals. She explains:

“One of the biggest misconceptions about coral reef degradation is that it’s not linked to people’s daily actions.

“To reach global success in coral reef restoration, the carbon footprint of our actions should also be taken into account: what we eat, what we consume and our transport choices.

“So, the conservation of coral reefs starts with you.”

Knowing your impact

Whether you’re an artist or scientist, Isabel’s work proves that you can have an impact on marine conservation. Choose to say no to a disposable coffee cup, favour environmentally friendly products or educate the next generation.

People get very stuck in the classical ways of doing marine conservation,” reflects Isabel.

“But whatever skill or hobby you have, you can link it to marine conservation. The jobs that we have now weren’t around 10 years ago. And in the future, there will be other roles that don't exist yet.”

As for Isabel’s impact, she’s embarking on her post-PhD career by contributing to the IUCN Red List report of threatened coral species (the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species).

And after that…

“I’m going to work with educators, artists, storytellers, sociologists, and conservation managers,” she explained, pointing to her Constructive Visions project that reflects on how behavioural changes under COVID-19 could improve our society’s relationship with nature.

On her PhD experience, she says:

“My PhD journey has been a masterclass in getting to know myself through my success and failures. You learn so much about yourself, and how you want to express yourself in the world. I think that’s a powerful reason for doing a PhD.”