I am an Oceanographer at Cawthron Institute, in New Zealand. I work mainly on marine population connectivity, dispersal of particles in the oceans, biophysical interactions, and biological oceanography.

My research focuses on the early life stages of marine organisms. This is one of the most important step in the life cycle of demersal/benthic species. Indeed, exchanges between populations happen only at the larval stage, when the larvae are carried offshore by the currents. These larvae then need to find their way back to the coastal environment in order to settle and transform into adult organisms.

Because of the small size of the larvae, studying them has always been a challenge, but recent development in scientific techniques has allowed to better understand their journey through the oceans. For example, we discovered that larvae use cues in their environment in order to orient their trajectories toward the reefs.

Using a multi-disciplinary approach combining field observations, laboratory experiments, genetic databases, and numerical simulations, I try to understand how the behaviors of the larvae impact their journey in the ocean. This way, we can understand how marine populations are connected.

Finally, being passionate about photography, I use my camera as a tool to advocate for the preservation of the environment. Because not everybody has the chance to travel, dive, and explore the oceans, I think sharing images of the underwater world help to see its beauty and understand why it is so important to protect it.