Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Dr Katharina J Peters
Marine mammal ecologist | Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Wollongong | Founder of the Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab (MAVE Lab)
Originally from Germany, Dr Katharina J. Peters is a marine mammal ecologist and Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Wollongong, where she established the Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab (MAVE Lab) in 2023.
Her research focuses on the ecology, health, and conservation of marine megafauna, particularly whales, dolphins, and seals. She combines field ecology, quantitative approaches, molecular tools, and long-term datasets to understand how marine mammals respond to environmental change and human pressures.
Dr Peters completed a BSc(Hons) at Flinders University on tourism impacts on bottlenose dolphins, followed by a PhD investigating hybridisation in Darwin’s tree finches in the Galápagos. She subsequently held postdoctoral positions at Massey University, Flinders University, the University of Zurich, and the University of Canterbury.
In 2025, she joined the ARC Special Research Initiative Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF) as an Associate Investigator.
Research vision
Dr Peters’ research aims to improve our understanding of how marine mammals respond to environmental change and human impacts across rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Her work integrates ecology, behaviour, molecular tools, and quantitative analyses to address applied conservation questions relevant to wildlife management, climate adaptation, and ecosystem health.
Through the MAVE Lab, she is building an interdisciplinary research program focused on marine mammal ecology, conservation, and population health in Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, and the Southern Ocean.
Current research themes
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Marine mammal population ecology and conservation
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Cetacean behaviour and habitat use
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Marine mammal health, ageing, and ecotoxicology
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Foraging ecology and trophic interactions
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Climate change impacts on marine megafauna
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Human impacts including fisheries interactions, pollution, vessel activity, and wildlife tourism
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Quantitative ecology, ecological modelling, and long-term monitoring
Leadership & roles
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Founder and Lead of the Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab (MAVE Lab)
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Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong
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Associate Investigator, ARC Special Research Initiative Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF)
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Collaborator on national and international marine mammal research initiatives across Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, and Antarctica
Supervision & mentoring
Dr Peters supervises and mentors researchers across multiple career stages, including PhD, MPhil, MSc, Honours, undergraduate, and volunteer researchers. Through the MAVE Lab, she is committed to creating a collaborative and supportive research environment that combines field experience, quantitative training, and conservation-focused research.
The MAVE Lab provides opportunities for students and early-career researchers to contribute to projects spanning marine mammal ecology, conservation, molecular ecology, and ecological modelling.
Collaborations
Dr Peters collaborates with researchers, government agencies, NGOs, marine parks, museums, and wildlife tourism operators across Australia and internationally. Her work includes partnerships with collaborators in New Zealand, Tonga, Antarctica, and the wider Pacific region.