When I was thirteen I decided that I wanted to be a marine biologist and I almost cried when I thought I wouldn’t get the mark requested to access to the Marine Science course.

But was during my undergraduate degree that I fell in love with seaweeds. Anyone in my course wasn’t really interested in these slimy organisms, and maybe also this was an additional reason why I chose to do my undergraduate thesis on seaweed biology. I have always had a soft spot for the neglected ones!

From that point, I got more and more involved in the seaweed biology and ecology, doing different researches in Italy and in Portugal. But was in 2015 that the real adventure became, when I had the chance to begin a PhD at University of Tasmania.

My project investigated the capacity of the seaweed Hormosira banksii to provide favourable habitats (like a refuge) to small creatures as marine snails, which like to seek repair within the canopies (like bushes) created by this species. The most interesting part was to understand if the size of the seaweed affected the kind of habitat provided to marine snails, spending the greatest part of my time on the beach.

Now I have just finished my PhD, but I am already missing my seaweed and tiny little friends. Hopefully I will be back with them soon!

 

For more information about my work: www.imas.utas.edu.au