Joanna Smart

Joanna is a quantitative marine ecologist and project officer with Sea Change Australia at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania. She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, where her research focuses on understanding and tracking change in benthic marine ecosystems across tropical and temperate waters. Before her PhD, Joanna worked as a marine scientist and project manager in environmental consulting, designing and delivering large-scale monitoring programs for government agencies, aquaculture operators, and private industry. She has extensive experience working alongside fishers, regulators, and industry stakeholders to translate scientific findings into practical outcomes. An award-winning science communicator, Joanna has shared her work through national media, conference stages, and school outreach programs. Joanna has a particular interest in making marine science accessible and relevant to the communities navigating change in the ocean firsthand.