UQ’s Dr Kathy Townsend, a marine biologist from the Moreton Bay Research Station, has been awarded an international science prize to continue her work on the impact of marine rubbish on sea turtles.
Dr Townsend received the Earthwatch Goldring Marine Emerging Scientist Fellowship in recognition of her commitment to the creation of a sustainable environment through science, public education, and collaborative partnerships.
This is the first time the award has been presented in Australia.
Preliminary studies by Dr Townsend and her team indicate that ingested marine rubbish is having a huge impact on Australian marine turtles, with up to 35 percent of stranded turtles in Moreton Bay dying due to eating marine debris.
The three-year funding – provided by US-based Goldring Family Foundation – will allow Dr Townsend to expand her research beyond the boundaries of Moreton Bay plus support two to three postgraduate students.
“Since 2008, I have been engaging with Earthwatch and Brother International to bring groups of corporate representatives to the Moreton Bay Research Station to be scientists for a day,” Dr Townsend said.
“Known as ‘Turtles in Trouble’, up to eight volunteers spend the day with me.
“It starts with a lecture, then they help me with a turtle necropsy, help me sort any rubbish pulled out of the turtle and then end the day by collecting and quantifying the rubbish found on local North Stradbroke Island beaches.
“I have also had a group that I was able to take out on the boat to release a rehabilitated turtle and another trip when we had a sick turtle and they helped to do the basic triage.”
Dr Townsend said her relationship with Earthwatch had provided her with a unique opportunity to highlight the impact that packaging and waste disposal has on the marine environment to those who have the power to initiate change - the leaders of industry.
Dr Townsend is a marine biologist and manager of UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station, a world-class marine research and teaching facility located on the bay side of North Stradbroke Island.
Media: Dr Townsend (07 3409 9058, kathy.townsend@uq.edu.au) or Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (07 3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)
