Show Notes
“Seadragons are a great entry point for people to learn more about marine biology and conservation.” - Chrissy Tustison
Dive into the secret lives of seadragons in our latest episode! This week, Master of SciComm student Emma sits down with PhD candidate Chrissy Tustison (The University of Western Australia & Scripps Institution of Oceanography) to discuss Chrissy's passion for studying the unique biology and ecology of these beautiful creatures and the crucial role of citizen science in this research.
Also covered: Australia’s unique marine landscape, the biology and ecology of the three seadragon species, the importance of community engagement, the challenges of conducting research across a vast range, and the powerful impact of collective efforts in citizen science.
Episode links:
Seadragon Search website and social media @seadragonsearch
Great Southern Reef Foundation
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: www.iucnredlist.org
The University of Western Australia
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Chrissy's PhD Supervisors Dr Nerida Wilson & Dr Heather Bray
This episode was brought to you by:
- Producer, Host, & Editor: Emma Gill
- Guest: Chrissy Tustison
- Audio Engineering & Editing: Guanyu Zhai
- Show notes: Felice Ng, Emma Gill
- Socials: Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram
- Website: thescicommcollective.com
- Sponsor: UWA Grand Challenges
Keywords: Science Communication, Citizen Science, Marine Biology, Sea Dragons, Leafy Seadragon, Ruby Seadragon, Weedy Seadragon, Conservation, Community Engagement, Biodiversity, Great Southern Reef, UWA, Public Engagement, Science Education, Environmental Awareness, Interdisciplinary Research, Marine Ecosystems, Machine Learning, Population Studies, Reproductive Behaviours, Climate Change, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Marine Photography, Ecological Research
More from The SciComm Collective
“You’ve got to get your research to the people who are going to use it… You’ve got to go to where the community is.” – Sarah Brooker
“My favourite thing about nature conservation and science is sharing it with people and connecting with people about it.” – Owen Cumming
“It’s about empowering the kids to feel like they can step in and help in an emergency.” – Suchi Kalia
“A really important part of inclusion is understanding your audience, understanding their needs, but also understanding their assets… What knowledge do they already have? … Science capital is about recognising what people already bring to the table.” – Shanii Phillips
“It’s being able to create experienceswhere young people feel like they belong.” – Lisa Bailey, MOD.