GLOW was established at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia in March 2018. Professor Rod Connolly directs GLOW, with Professor Brendan Mackey and Associate Professor Chris Brown providing leadership support to newly recruited research and support personnel.

The international, interdisciplinary team advances research under three themes:

Measuring Health
What is a ‘healthy’ wetland? How can we measure it efficiently? We’re answering these questions, with new analyses and tools.

Improving Action
We’re mapping current action and guiding potential future actions to protect and restore coastal wetland habitats globally.

Engaging Authentically
We’re working with communities and managers to help them care for coastal wetlands in ways that support biodiversity and human livelihoods.

GLOW is truly global in scope. Key partner investigators are working closely with researchers based at Griffith University, Australia to produce and trial the science behind better wetland care. This includes direct collaborations with key researchers at each site, and their host institutions.

Our diverse team includes scientists with field, lab and management expertise in coastal wetlands all over the world. This includes broad experience across different methods, cultures and ecosystems.

The group has previously worked on resilience, connectivity, multiple stressors, planning and biodiversity. Our researchers have:

• Prioritised actions for wetland conservation.
• Predicted impacts of multiple stressors to coastal ecosystems.
• Developed adaptive management frameworks for ecological assets.
• Contributed to global ecosystem assessments for conserving blue forests.
• Developed new tools for efficient monitoring of ecosystems.
• Led and communicated large research programs.

Professor Rod Connolly

Director | Griffith University, Australia

Marine scientist using automated monitoring to help improve conservation outcomes for coastal ecosystems.

Director of the Coastal and Marine Research Centre, Griffith University, one of the most comprehensive coastal advisory services in Australia

r.connolly@griffith.edu.au

Professor Brendan Mackey

Research Leader | Griffith University, Australia

Director of the Climate Action Beacon, interested in science-based policy formation. Leads GLOW work in Vanuatu.

b.mackey@griffith.edu.au

Dr César Herrera

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Studies biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relationship using novel technologies. Developing hardware and software that increase reliability of ecological predictions.

c.herrera@griffith.edu.au

Dr Jackson Stockbridge

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Spatial ecologist looking to investigate how the cumulative effects of multiple stressors impact different industries, and how this information can be used to understand risk in marine spatial planning.

j.stockbridge@griffith.edu.au

Associate Professor Chris Brown

Research Leader | Griffith University, Australia

Marine ecosystem modeller (including multiple stressors). Interested in numbers that shake up the politics of saving nature.

Awarded an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship for the project Predicting coastal ecological futures in an era of unprecedented change.

chris.brown@griffith.edu.au

Associate Professor Fernanda Adame

Research Leader | Griffith University, Australia

Studies ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands, including carbon sequestration and coastal protection, with active projects in Mexico.

f.adame@griffith.edu.au

Dr Jaramar Villarreal Rosas

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Conservation scientist integrating spatial analysis, decision science, and social theories that explain people’s perceptions of nature to achieve on-the-ground positive outcomes for biodiversity and local communities.

j.villarrealrosas@griffith.edu.au

Dr Michael Sievers

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Experimental and field biologist with a focus on vertebrate ecology, interested in ecosystem assessment frameworks.

Awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award for the project Redefining success in marine ecosystem restoration.

m.sievers@griffith.edu.au

Dr Sebastian Lopez-Marcano

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Project Manager of the Australian Research Data Commons FishID platform. Developing and applying AI solutions to AgTech, conservation and education.

s.lopez-marcano@griffith.edu.au

Dr Christina Buelow

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Quantitative ecologist interested in establishing confidence in coastal ecosystem conservation.

c.buelow@griffith.edu.au

Dr Mahua Roy Chowdhury

Research Scholar | University of Calcutta, India

Expert in mangrove growth and ecosystem health, including phytoremediation.

mahuarishra@gmail.com

Dr Paul Maxwell

Principal Scientist | Alluvium, Australia

Marine ecologist working on the stability and health of coastal ecosystems.

paul.maxwell@alluvium.com.au 

Dr Anusha Rajkaran

Senior Lecturer | Western Cape, South Africa

Estuarine ecologist studying macrophyte dynamics and coastal management.

arajkaran@uwc.ac.za

Professor Shing-Yip (Joe) Lee

Professor | Chinese University of Hong Kong

Director of the Simon F S Li Marine Science Laboratory and Chair of the IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group.

joesylee@cuhk.edu.hk

Dr Ana Sousa

Researcher | University of Aveiro, Portugal

Marine ecologist focused on wetlands dynamics, vulnerability, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

anaisousa@ua.pt

Dr Dominic Andradi-Brown

Marine Scientist | WWF-US Oceans Conservation Program

Expert in coastal conservation, observation and governance.

Dominic.Andradi-Brown@wwfus.org

Alyssa Giffin

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Coral-seagrass connections for fisheries and their role in Ecosystem Based Adaptation.

a.giffin@griffith.edu.au

Andria Ostrowski

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

andria.ostrowski@griffith.edu.au

Julieta Gamboa Cutz

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

julieta.gamboacutz@griffithuni.edu.au

Kai Ching Cheong

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

kaiching.cheong@griffithuni.edu.au

Ellen Ditria

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Automated data analysis using machine and deep learning for conservation.

ellen.ditria@griffithuni.edu.au

Olivia King

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Assessing the interactive effects of multiple stressors in coastal ecosystems.

olivia.king@griffithuni.edu.au

Marina Christofidis

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Assessing the interactive effects of multiple stressors in coastal ecosystems.

marina.christofidis@griffithuni.edu.au

Kristin Jinks

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Valuing seagrass ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area – their role in food webs.

kristin.jinks@griffithuni.edu.au

Iresha Sumudumali Rammanda Gedra

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

ireshasumudumali.rammandagedara@griffithuni.edu.au

Renee Piccolo

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Jasmine Hall

Senior Research Assistant | Griffith University, Australia

Conservation biologist working with Dr Fernanda and her PhD students in wetland ecology in the field and laboratory. Website editor and blog writer for GLOW. 

jasmine.hall@griffith.edu.au

Alexandra White

Research Officer | Griffith University, Australia

Wildlife biology graduate assisting GLOW with data processing, administration, content and digital support. Website editor and blog writer for GLOW.

alexandra.white@griffith.edu.au

Jasmine Rasmussen

Research Officer | Griffith University, Australia

Ecotoxicologist managing fieldwork and research in ecosystem restoration, exploring the benefits of restoring ecosystems and investigating the potential threats posed by emerging contaminants. Also works with artificial intelligence and developing models to assist in monitoring restored systems.

j.rasmussen@griffith.edu.au

Dr Tom Rayner

Science Communicator | Griffith University, Australia

Stakeholder engagement, facilitation, comms strategy and digital content. Now at NSW DPI Fisheries.

Yota Harada

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Food-web consequences of the world’s largest mangrove forest die-off.

Marina Richardson

Science Communicator | Griffith University, Australia

Now a PhD Candidate at Griffith University researching shellfish reef restoration and the diversity of reef building bivalves.

Zoë Carnahan

Undergraduate | Griffith University, Australia

Work Integrated Learning placement with GLOW. Now at University of Tasmania.

Adam Shand

Research Assistant | Griffith University, Australia

Provided field and laboratory support for the GLOW program.

Dr Mischa Turschwell

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Statistical ecologist in spatial modelling. Background in freshwater systems, thermal regimes and Bayesian models.

Tyler Hoffman

Research Assistant | Griffith University, Australia

Field, lab and admin support for the GLOW program. Now Boating Officer for Griffith Sciences.

Dale Bryan-Brown

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Marine connectivity and dispersal in habitat-forming species. Now teaching in Northern Territory.

Dr Eva McClure

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Marine ecologist interested in informing conservation by understanding species responses to environmental drivers.

Eric Jinks

Senior Software Engineer | Griffith University, Australia

Developed digital tools for conservation management, including machine learning and web-based apps.

Laura Griffiths

PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Australia

Managing vulnerable coastal environments for interactions among multiple threats.

Dr Ryan Pearson

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Community and population ecologist. Background in sea turtles, isotopes, and broad ecological concepts for management.

Dr Jodie Haig

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Marine ecologist interested in linking conservation science to policy outcomes. Now at QLD Government.

Zoë Carey

Research Assistant | Griffith University, Australia

Provided field, laboratory and administration support for the GLOW program.

Dr Viv Tulloch

Research Fellow | Griffith University, Australia

Conservation decision-maker and modeller interested in how disturbances affect biodiversity and natural resources. Now at University of British Columbia.

Natasha Watson

Science Communicator | Griffith University, Australia

Communication, engagement and digital content for the GLOW project.

Briana Holgate

GIS Analyst | Griffith University, Australia

Spatial ecologist with research in ecoacoustics and soundscape modelling.