Amanda Tauber is studying her PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at Bond University. Originally from Auckland in New Zealand, Amanda moved to Australia eight years ago to finish high school and continued to live on the sunny Gold Coast ever since. For as long as she can remember, Amanda has loved understanding how the world works and the small beautiful details that bring it all together.
Catriona Nguyen-Robertson is a PhD candidate at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. She also works as a science mentor at the Gene Technology Access Centre, engaging with students through In2Science and Young Scientists of Australia. She is a science communications officer at the Royal Society of Victoria and Convergence Science Network, an associate writer at Scientell, and part of the National Science Week Victorian Coordinating Committee.
Dilan Seckiner is currently a final year PhD candidate at UTS within science. Dilan’s research focuses on forensic gait analysis, specifically, morphometric body assessment with associated CCTV image distortion quantification. Dilan is part of a team of experts (university and police forces) who conduct research at the Australian Facility of Taphonomic Experimental Research. Dilan has presented research at various national and international conferences/symposiums.
Dr Dwan Price completed her PhD at Deakin University. During her honours research she studied the effects of digestion on peanut allergens where she discovered that after a gastric or intestinal digestion peanut allergen stuck together, forming super-allergens. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Deakin AIRwatch.
Dr Paola Magni is forensic biologist with key focus on the application of natural sciences to crime scene investigation. A researcher and lecturer in forensic science, with experience as an expert witness on cases of homicide, suspicious death, animal cruelty/wildlife and food forensic. Paula is the developer of “SmartInsects”, the App designed to facilitate police and pathologists at crime scenes.
Rebecca Wellard has over 10 years’ experience in researching marine megafauna and have been involved in numerous cetacean research projects both in Australia and worldwide, focusing on various research areas such as cetacean bioacoustics, population ecology, genetics and anthropogenic effects. She commenced her PhD in 2015 with a focus on the communication of Antarctic and Australian killer whales.
Etienne Rastoin-Laplane is a young French marine scientist with a sharp interest for Marine Protected Areas, fisheries management and global sustainability issues. Before starting his PhD, he spent three years in the Galapagos, working within the Charles Darwin Foundation marine programs. His passion for this iconic archipelago led him to return to academia to contribute to its long-term conservation.
Hayley Teasdale is a neuroscientist, studying new techniques for rehabilitation of Parkinson's disease symptoms at the University of Canberra. Inspired by her research, she has founded a company which has created a balance training device that can be used in the home in the hopes of preventing falls. She is passionate about equality of opportunities in STEM disciplines and an advocate for the power of diverse teams for research and innovation.
Hossein Tavassoli is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering. His research lies at the interface of materials engineering and stem cell biology. Currently, at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Sydney he studies heart development on-a-chip. Hossein is also keen on the design of micro/nano engineered platforms that model organs physiology and diseases on microchips.
Kit Prendergast is a native bee researcher from Western Australia. She is currently doing a PhD at Curtin University, under a Forrest Scholarship, an international scholarship of which only three entrants are awarded with per round. Kit has a passion for the natural world and gets a real buzz when going out in the field to conduct native bee surveys.