Marine scientist Prue Francis is supervising Kaylah Gawne’s (BEnvSc(Hons)’23) PhD, whether it’s in the lab or doing fieldwork on the back of a ute.
By Louisa Ragas
Both were ‘country kids’ who grew up in central Victoria and then went on to pursue their marine science dreams at Deakin and discover the stunning golden kelp forests beneath the waters of Victoria’s coastline.
Golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata) forms the backbone of the Great Southern Reef and runs along the entire 8,000 km range of an interconnected temperate reef system. The kelp forests create underwater ‘cities’ filled with thousands of species from sea dragons and shellfish to fish and whales.
In Port Phillip Bay, kelp and seaweed are under siege from sea urchins due to an imbalance in the aquatic food system and the effects of climate change. This is the critical challenge Prue and Kaylah are focused on, as well as sharing with people how spectacular our marine environment is.
From diving deep to collect seaweed samples to conducting lab experiments in the back of a Deakin ute, the pair’s commitment to ocean sustainability has forged a supervisor/PhD student relationship that could hold the secret to restoring this vital underwater ecosystem.
Prue: Kaylah and I share a passion for conserving the Great Southern Reef, focused on kelp and seaweed restoration. Our research combines fieldwork and restoration techniques to support the future of kelp forests.
As Kaylah’s PhD supervisor, my approach is to provide a supportive and structured framework that balances guidance with independence, allowing Kaylah to explore her research while ensuring she remains on track. I also encourage her to engage with the wider research community, attending relevant conferences to build her network and develop her skills.
Over 2024, Kaylah, Jasmine Bursic [our lab technical officer], and I have shared field days collecting kelp for Kaylah’s project whilst snorkelling at various sites in Port Phillip Bay, often in thick wetsuits, hoods, gloves, and booties to stay warm. After our snorkel, we’ve embraced ‘boot science,’ where we’ve conducted lab work from the back of a ute, often raising curious attention from residents walking by.
Our shared research passion on golden kelp encompasses a range of initiatives, including population genetics, establishing a kelp seedbank and conducting kelp restoration along the Victorian coastline.
Our ambition is to enhance the conservation and management of this species in the State. Our work not only contributes to the scientific understanding of Golden Kelp and its role in marine environments but plays a role in improving ocean literacy.
Kaylah’s dedication, curiosity, and skills inspire me. She seamlessly combines scientific rigor with a passion for kelp. Her meticulous approach in the lab, as well as her problem-solving, exemplifies her drive and focus, which has already had an impact on our reputation as a seaweed cultivation hub at Deakin’s Marine Research and Innovation Centre.
I take a personal and collaborative approach to PhD supervision. I have an open-door policy and believe in creating a dynamic where students feel comfortable discussing their ideas, concerns, and progress. I take the mentorship aspect of supervision seriously and consider it my role to guide students not only in their research but also in their professional development and career advancement.
I take the mentorship aspect of supervision seriously and consider it my role to guide students not only in their research but also in their professional development and career advancement.
‘I take a personal and collaborative approach to PhD supervision. I have an open-door policy and believe in creating a dynamic where students feel comfortable discussing their ideas, concerns and progress.’
Kaylah: Point Lonsdale was a regular holiday destination for my family which led to a fascination with the underwater world from shallow rock pools to the deep sea.
Deakin is the only university in Victoria that runs a pure marine science course and when I discovered that their lab practicals were run from Deakin Marine in Queenscliff, I instantly wanted to study there.
When I started my undergraduate degree, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to focus on. In my second year, I became captivated by the world of seaweed. I was fascinated by its ecological role, and how it’s utilised in different industries. That’s when I knew I wanted to cultivate seaweed myself.
I was lucky to connect with Prue when I expressed interest in doing an Honours project focused on seaweed cultivation. Since then, she has been a mentor for me as a woman in marine science. Prue has helped me navigate the research side of marine science, like designing experiments, academic writing and communicating your research. Prue’s also been there for ‘hands on’ support like snorkelling to collect seaweed samples and working in a lab setting up my experiments.
‘Prue has helped me navigate the research side of marine science, like designing experiments, academic writing and communicating your research.’
We both share a passion for conserving the marine environment and the seaweed that forms the backbone of the Great Southern Reef. We want a thriving marine environment and to share that with people so they can see how amazing life underwater is.
Prue’s enthusiasm for protecting and sharing the marine world with others is inspiring. She has a positive outlook on it all, which is refreshing as the area we work in can sometimes be bleak given the impacts of climate change.
I hope that my research will support the resilience of golden kelp forests and conservation management.
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