Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Elise Beaumont
Elise is a PhD candidate at the University of Wollongong, and a member of both the MAVE lab and the Biogeography, Ecology, & Modelling (BEAM) Lab.
She grew up on the coast of New South Wales, where she developed a strong connection to the ocean and its ecosystems. This early appreciation for marine environments inspired her to pursue a career in marine conservation and ecology, driven by a commitment to protecting the natural world.
Elise completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Science in 2023, followed by an Honours degree in 2024 with the MAVE and BEAM Labs. During her Honours, she conducted a Population Viability Analysis on New Zealand common dolphins, assessing rates of population decline and estimating the risk of functional extinction under ongoing fisheries bycatch pressure.
Elise is passionate about applying quantitative and ecological modelling approaches to support effective, science-based conservation outcomes aimed at reducing anthropogenic threats to marine mammals.
Research
Elise’s PhD research focuses on developing a dynamic ocean management tool to reduce humpback whale entanglement in fishing gear in New South Wales. By modelling whale migration routes, spatial overlap with fisheries, and the influence of oceanographic conditions on whale movements and entanglement risk, she aims to identify when and where whales are most vulnerable.
Her research integrates marine ecology, spatial modelling, and applied conservation to support targeted, adaptive fisheries management strategies that reduce entanglement risk while maintaining fishing operations.
Supervisors: Dr Katharina J Peters, Dr Frédérik Saltré and Dr Adelaide Dedden.