School of Science

Professor Chandra Salgado Kent

Chandra is a Professor for the Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research in the School of Science.

Background

Chandra draws from her complementary roles at Edith Cowan University and Oceans Blueprint in a creative approach to making positive change in conservation science. Current and past roles include:

• 2018 – present: Director, Oceans Blueprint – Combines marine science and visual media to improve accessibility of science that is integral to the health and function of our societies.
• 2018 – present: Research Advisor (Quantitative), Graduate Research, Edith Cowan University.
• 2011 - 2018: Deputy Director/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin university.
• 2003-2011: Research Fellow, Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University.
• 2002: Research Associate, Centre for Whale Research (WA), Inc., Exmouth, Australia.
• 1999-2003: Lecturer/Tutor (Casual), Department of Biological, Environmental and Chemical Sciences, Charles Darwin University.
• 1998-2001: Research Associate (Casual), Department of Biological, Environmental and Chemical Sciences, Northern Territory University.
• 1999: Research Coordinator, The Environmental Learning Center, Wabasso, Florida, USA.
• 1996-1998: Chemical Analyst (Casual), D.B. Environmental Labs, Rockledge, Florida, USA.
• 1992-1994: Research Assistant (Casual), New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Professional Associations

• Current‐2022. WA Marine Parks (Ambassador)
• Current‐2020 - IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, Australia‐New Zealand & South East Indian Ocean Region (Co-Coordinator)
• Current‐2007 - International Whaling Commission, Southern Hemisphere Blue Whale Photo‐ID Catalogue Project (SHBWPC). (Oceania Regional Coordinator)
• 2002 - Australian Marine Sciences Association, Northern Territory branch (President)
• 2014-2011 - Leadership Group, Australian Sustainable Development Institute, Curtin University (Member)

Awards and Recognition

• 2015 - Curtin University Media Award for Science & Engineering

Research Areas and Interests

Chandra is a marine ecologist and bio-acoustician working in a wide range of conservation and management topics. Overall, Chandra’s career in marine related research spans 25 years, in which she has worked in a diversity of fields including mangrove forest restoration, marine fauna ranging from crustaceans to baleen whales, and impacts of human activities on marine wildlife. As a recognised expert in her field, Chandra regularly advises national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations and industries on innovative research methods, analytical approaches, and the status, threats and management of wildlife. She coordinates and manages a wide range of projects and supervises honours, masters, and PhD students. Chandra has co-authored two book chapters, over 60 peer-reviewed papers; over 50 conference/workshop presentations; and over 90 technical reports. She has also been on television, radio, or in newspapers over 80 times.

Areas of interest include:

• Wildlife ecology & conservation
• Ecological and population modelling
• Evaluation of human impacts on marine fauna
• Bioacoustics

Some long-term projects Chandra has been involved in include:

• Dolphin Watch – A multi-partner citizen science program launched in 2009 that aims to provide a better understanding of Swan Canning Riverpark’s Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (co- investigator)
• Southern Hemisphere Blue Whale Photo-ID Catalogue – a large inter-regional southern hemisphere blue whale photo-identification program (coordinator of the Indonesia/Australia/New Zealand region)
• SouWEST – South-western Whale Ecology Study – a long-term multi-partner project aimed at improving the conservation status of whales in southwestern Australia through improved scientific foundation for species protection (co-investigator)