Dr Claire Charlton
Chief Investigator, Biologist,
Primary Data Validator,
Curtin University
Claire Charlton is a marine biologist specialising in cetacean population biology and underwater noise. Claire has co-investigated the long term Southern Right Whale Population Census and Photo Identification Study at Head of Bight since 2009, and is the Project Leader of the GABRWS. Claire has 15 years’ experience in roles with South Australian State Government and private consultancies, undertaking research and environmental impact assessments.
Dr Catherine Kemper
Co-Investigator, Scientific Advisor, Specialist Cetacean Biologist,
South Australian Museum
Catherine came to Australia from Canada in 1971 and did a PhD at Macquarie University in Sydney (1972–1978). Between then and her appointment at the South Australian Museum, she worked in Malaysia and Western Australia. She took up the position of Curator of Mammals in September 1983. Catherine began her career in Mammalogy with the study of small mammals and in the late 1980s embarked on research on marine mammals, especially cetaceans.
Assoc Prof Luciana Möller
Co-Investigator, Biological Oceanographer, Flinders University,
PhD Macquarie University
Luciana is a Biological Oceanographer, with Specialisation in Renewable Resources, and a PhD in Environmental Sciences from Macquarie University. She is currently an Associate Professor in Marine Biology at the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University where she co-leads the Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL). Luciana is an expert on population ecology, behaviour and molecular ecology of whales and dolphins, with a research focus on endangered and at-risk species for assisting with their conservation and management.
Assoc Prof Guido J. Parra
Co-Investigator, School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University,
PhD James Cook University
Guido is an Associate Professor at Flinders University leading the Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL). CEBEL is a multi-disciplinary group that works on both pure and applied research projects at the interface of animal behaviour, population ecology and evolutionary biology to understand cetacean populations. Since its establishment in 2010, CEBEL has grown into one of the leading and most productive groups of marine mammal research in Australia.
Elizabeth Steele-Collins
Project Leader,
Citizen Scientist,
Data Validator
Elizabeth has lived on the Fleurieu Peninsula most of her life. Her affinity with its wildlife, particularly the Southern Right Whales, and her passion for their protection and preservation, is widely known. Elizabeth has made a study of whale behaviour since 2009. She started the first SRW catalogue for Encounter Bay and established the first whale ‘matches’ confirming the return of individual whales to Encounter Bay and other locations. Elizabeth was the driving force behind the establishment of an official whale research project for Encounter Bay and is a founding member of EBRWS.
Dr Nikki Zanardo
Senior Ranger Marine Parks,
Department for Environment and Water, Flinders University
Nikki is a marine biologist who specialises in cetacean ecology. She undertook her PhD with the Cetacean Ecology Behaviour and Evolution Lab at Flinders University, researching bottlenose dolphins off the coast of Adelaide. Since finishing her PhD in 2016, Nikki has worked as a marine park ranger for the state government. Nikki helped to implement, and now leads, the population monitoring surveys within the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.
William Gilmore
BSc Marine Biology,
University of Adelaide
Honours Student, Flinders University
William graduated from the University of Adelaide in 2019 completing a BSc in Marine Biology. Throughout his degree, he spent time in South Africa working on whale watching and shark cage diving boats. While working on whale watching vessels, William developed a passion for Southern Right Whales, which led him to become a part of Encounter Whales in 2019. After completing his degree, Will moved to Cairns to work on the Great Barrier Reef. In 2021 Will moved back to Adelaide to undertake his honours degree at Flinders University and focus his research on the Southern Right Whales in Encounter Bay under Luciana Moller, Guido Parra Vergara and Claire Charlton.
Alia Al-Humaidhi
Marine Fisheries Data Analyst,
Research Scientist, Marine Biology and Marine Policy, Main University
Alia attained her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Aquatic Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Followed by her Master of Science (M.S.) in Marine Biology and Marine Policy at Main University. Alia is a scientist and puzzle solver who has experience both in the field and behind a computer screen. She has experience in both ends of the scientific and policy spectrum by working on core research in the field and through data management and analysis.