External Scientific Advisory Panel

External Scientific Advisory Panel provides TRIATLAS with high-level advice on the scientific direction of the project, as well as exploitation and dissemination of project results. It consists of the following distinguished
scientists:

  • Ajit Subramaniam is a Research Professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University.

He uses remote sensing, ocean optics, phytoplankton physiology, biological and physical oceanography and geographical information systems to better understand how the marine ecosystem functions and can be managed. He works closely with biogeochemical oceanographers and ecosystem modellers, and uses satellite data to provide broader spatial and temporal scales to in-situ shipboard measurements and complement model results.

  • Alistair Hobday is a Senior Principal Research Scientist of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra.

He completed a BSc (Hons) in Biological Science at Stanford University, a PhD in Biological Oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and held a National Research Council Postgraduate Fellowship at the Pacific Fisheries Environmental Laboratory in Monterey, California. His research spans a range of topics, including spatial management and migration of large pelagic species, environmental influences on marine species, the impacts of climate change on marine resources, and development and testing of adaptation options for marine conservation, fisheries, and aquaculture. He leads the Marine Climate Impact and Adaptation area at CSIRO. In addition to his climate research, Alistair has co-led the development of risk assessment methods for assessing the ecological sustainability of Australia’s fisheries. He was co-chair for the international IMBER program CLIOTOP (Climate Impacts on Top Ocean Predators) from 2010-2015, and now serves on the Scientific Steering Committee.

  • Kate Larkin is the Director of Seascape Belgium and Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), a long-term marine data management and sharing initiative supported by the European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

She has over 10 years’ experience working in European marine science and connecting science with policy, industry and wider society. Kate first worked for organizations in the U.K., including the National Oceanography Centre and Natural Environment Research Council, with roles spanning postdoctoral research and scientific management of European projects (FP6 EUR-OCEANS NoE; FP7 EuroSITES) to knowledge exchange of oceanography for industry and the defence sector. In 2012 Kate joined the European Marine Board Secretariat, becoming Deputy Head (2015-2018) and including 5 months as Acting Head in 2017. Her work involved regular interactions with related networks including JPI-Oceans, EuroMarine, EMODnet and EuroGOOS and dialogue with the European Commission and European Parliament. She also led EMB activities in ocean observation and marine research infrastructures.

  • Molly Baringer is the Deputy Director of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.

She is an observational oceanographer with a diverse background that spans a range of topics from the meridional overturning circulation, to quantifying the impact of observations on forecasts, to chemical transports of carbon in the ocean. She represents the interests of the laboratory (through management, leadership and interaction with stakeholders) that conducts basic and applied research related to oceans and climate, coastal ecosystems, and tropical meteorology. Specific areas of intersection with this program include AOML’s work with marine fishery managers in the US to improve stock assessments through the use of environmental observations of ocean circulation features, climate model downscaling to predict climate impacts on fisheries and corals, and development of techniques to measure nutrient concentrations in the coastal zone.

  • Stefan Gelcich is an assistant professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile and a researcher with Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability.

where he is working on threats and impacts of global drivers on ecosystem services and policies. Gelcich oversaw a series of pilot projects on marine no-take zones in Chile. Through these projects, he examined the social and ecological conditions that facilitate the successful design and scalability of marine no-take-zones. Gelcich found that linking territorial user rights for fisheries and marine biodiversity conservation policies can be an effective way to manage  biodiversity, especially in developing countries. Gelcich hopes to eventually develop a financial model concerning possible future economic incentives for no-take areas. His primary objective is to scale up marine conservation through the active participation of fishers.