Background
Steph’s research interests span tropical and temperate reef ecosystems, particularly in the fields of microbial ecology, physiology and biochemistry. Within SAEF, her work will focus on understanding and describing benthic microbial communities and she is excited to collaborate and contribute to delivering SAEF’s goals. Despite a cold-weather intolerance, Steph has been drawn to Antarctica during her PhD, during which all of her supervisors had multiple trips down south, leaving her to the warmer tropical reef fieldwork expeditions. Steph was fortunate enough to travel to the Antarctic Peninsula for 3 weeks as part of the global leadership program for women in STEM called Homeward Bound in 2019, and has since developed a strong fondness for Antarctica. Since then, she has been exploring opportunities to contribute scientific knowledge and understanding of the most remote continent on Earth.