Marine Vertebrate Ecology Lab
Dr Kerstin Bilgmann
Kerstin’s career in marine megafauna research spans more than 25 years. She completed an MSc at Cologne University, Germany (2001), and a PhD at Macquarie University, Sydney (2008). With extensive experience in marine ecology and conservation, she has developed expertise in genetics and genomics, aerial surveys and abundance estimation, telemetry, behavioural ecology, and wildlife conservation management. Author of over 30 peer-reviewed publications and a co-authored Australian Geographic book on threatened species, Kerstin is widely recognised as a leading expert in her field. She has provided scientific advice to industry, government agencies, conservation organisations, and the media, and has mentored numerous Honours, MSc, and PhD students. Based in Sydney, she currently holds a senior research position at Macquarie University, where she continues to advance marine megafauna ecology and conservation science.
Research
Kerstin’s research explores how marine megafauna populations interact with changing environments and human activities. She applies tools such as genetics and genomics, population structure analysis, abundance estimation, telemetry, and spatial ecology to better understand species dynamics and inform evidence-based conservation and management strategies.