I am an early-career marine scientist and expert in microbial ecology and molecular physiology. I apply this expertise to the symbioses between microbes and reef-building corals in the context of my personal research goal, which is to understand and alleviate coral reef ecosystem degradation. I am skilled in the use of molecular genetics and next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS) in the profiling of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbial communities from meta-genomic DNA. I am also a leader in the systematics of coral-microbes having described 3 new species and 2 of the 9 total genera of Symbiodiniaceae symbionts. Bioinformatics and statistical programming skills required for the quality control and analysis of large DNA datasets is also an area of strength and complementary to my expertise in genetics. I am highly proficient in the programming language R, where I write custom open-source code and lead programming workshops. I have a multidisciplinary research profile that extends to the use of optical techniques to measure functional traits related to photosynthesis, such as novel application of underwater fluorometry to resolve patterns of light-utilisation with bleaching sensitivity for Great Barrier Reef corals. I have excellent fieldwork management skills, including the ability to lead expeditions to remote coral reefs (e.g. GBR - Australia, Rarotonga - Cook Islands). As a result of my research productivity, contributions to advancing knowledge, and international standing in the field of coral ecophysiology and microbiology, I was awarded a Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (Royal Society of New Zealand Te Aparangi), which ‘prioritises the support of New Zealand early-career researchers'. As of 26/02/20 I am a National Geographic Explorer and have received an Early Career Research Award to support my current research in the South Pacific. I am also an adjunct member of the Future Reefs program at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia.