Michelle Heupel
Michelle Heupel is a Senior Research Scientist at the AIMS and pioneer in the application of acoustic telemetry to study shark movement ecology. Her current projects examine the long-term residence and movement patterns of sharks and rays in coastal and reef ecosystems. This research includes defining how individuals use space in relation to human activities (i.e. fishing, marine park zoning) and environmental change (i.e. response to salinity, temperature change or extreme weather events). Defining underlying mechanisms for movement is a key aspect of this research with an emphasis on providing science for management and conservation of shark and ray populations. Michelle completed her PhD at the University of Queensland and afterwards undertook a postdoctoral position at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida where she established the Elasmobranch Behavioral Ecology program and spent nearly 10 years mostly researching the behaviour of juvenile sharks. She then returned to Australia to hold positions at AIMS and James Cook University. Michelle recently completed an ARC Future Fellowship and has been a previous appointee to the Commonwealth Threatened Species Scientific Committee. Effective conservation and management of shark and ray species are her main career drivers.
Abstracts this author is presenting: