2024 OWUSS Scholar · grad student · code enthusiast
Pablo Fuenzalida
Marine science grad student on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. I poke at ocean data in R, get in the water when I can, and take photos along the way.
In the field — Tonga
What I study
Three threads run through my work, from beaches and reefs to the open ocean.
Movement ecology
How marine megafauna — sharks, groupers, whales — move through the ocean, studied with tagging and biologging.
Quantitative marine ecology
Statistical and computational analysis of marine ecosystems — turning beach surveys and reef-monitoring datasets into evidence for conservation.
Citizen science
Community-driven monitoring and inclusive science — including making marine fieldwork accessible to people with disability.
Hello
I was born in Chile, grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand, and moved to Australia, where I’ve been for the past 20 years. I hold three degrees from the University of the Sunshine Coast, focusing on marine science and sustainable livelihoods.
I’ve worked across the marine realm — for local government, universities, the private sector, NGOs, and tourism — and I speak intermediate Spanish. When I’m not in the data, I’m in the water or behind a camera; the photographs across this site are my own.
Where I’ve worked
Watersports — Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort
Marine biologist, dive instructor and Coxswain skipper on the southern Great Barrier Reef.
2024 OWUSS Scholar — Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society
One of three global scholars: 7 countries, 100+ days at sea, ~200 dives, and three month-long movement-ecology internships.
Southeast Queensland Coordinator — Reef Check Australia
Second-in-charge of the NGO; community engagement and coral-reef monitoring across Southeast Queensland.
Research Assistant, Citizen Science — University of the Sunshine Coast
Improving inclusivity in marine and astronomy citizen science for people with disability.
Conservation Officer — Sunshine Coast Council
Built a citizen-science initiative to monitor natural assets and engage the local community.
Research Assistant, Beach Ecology — University of the Sunshine Coast
Dataset management and analysis plus field expeditions; finished as second-in-charge of the research assistants.
Education
B.Sc. End-on Honours (First-Class) — University of the Sunshine Coast
Thesis on the movement and incidental capture of the critically endangered grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) in a nationwide shark-management program.
Double Bachelor's, Animal Ecology & Business (Tourism) — University of the Sunshine Coast
Final-year GPA 7.0 / 7.0.
Certifications
Coxswain Grade 1 NC · PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
thanks for scrolling down : ) I appreciate it