Ocean Protect Podcast

Kelen Marczak Polli is a Stormwater Engineer at Arup, and is a very deserving recipient of this year's Australian Emerging Stormwater Professional of the Year Award by Stormwater Queensland AND the Queensland Emerging Professional Engineer of the Year Award by Engineers Australia. In this chat, Kelen share's her amazing story - coming from Brazil with an engineering degree but very little English, the struggle to land her first engineering job in Australia, and advice for other students and graduates starting their engineering careers.Useful links:Kelen on LinkedIn (here)Kelen on Instagram (here)Engineers Australia "Internships Information for International Students" (here)Engineers Australia "Global Engineering Talent Program" (here) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Mark Gibson is Principal Engineer in the Water Management Unit of Brisbane City Council, and President of Stormwater Queensland. In this chat, we talk about Mark's passion for volunteering and stormwater - and how they've come together at Stormwater Queensland, and what's it been like (so far) as President. We also took about some of the challenges facing the stormwater industry and what we can do about it.  Useful links:Mark on LinkedIn (here)Stormwater Queensland (here) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Katie Walters (Moreton Bay Foundation) and Paul Maxwell (EcoFutures Consulting) join the podcast to talk about a Blueprint for a sustainable Moreton Bay. This report (recently published by the Moreton Bay Foundation) identifies priority actions for the protect and renewal of Moreton Bay over the coming decade.Useful links:Katie on LinkedIn (here)Katie's email (here)Paul on LinkedIn (here)Blueprint for a sustainable Moreton Bay 2035 (here)ABC News article, Toxic Lyngbya algal blooms 'inevitable' in Moreton Bay if development continues unchecked, experts say (here)Paul's previous Ocean Protect Podcast appearance - Paul Maxwell on the Healthy Land & Water Report Card (Season 1, Episode 35, November 2019) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Brian Mcintosh is Associate Professor of Integrated Water Management at Griffith University and Education Director at the International Water Centre. In this chat, Brian describes his journey from being a straight edge punk in Scotland to being a leader (and developing future leaders) in the water industry in Australia. We also discuss what exactly is Integrated Water Management, and how it can protect our waterways and water resources in South-East Queensland and beyond.   Useful links:Brian on LinkedIn (here)International Water Centre (here) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Katherine Warwick is an aquatic ecologist and PhD candidate at Western Sydney University. Katherine has recently led an Australian-first study which has found perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in platypuses, sparking warnings people in New South Wales may be more exposed than once thought. In this chat, we discuss the study methodology and results – and the subsequent implications across New South Wales and beyond.  Useful links:Katherine on LinkedIn (here)ABC News article “PFAS 'forever chemicals' found in water filtration plants and platypus livers in NSW” (here)Warwick, K.G., Wright, I.A., Whinfield, J. et al. First report of accumulation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in New South Wales, Australia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 51037–51042 (2024). (here)Ocean Protect Podcast episode “Forever chemicals & their impact on wetland snakes with Dr Damian Lettoof” (August 2023, Season 5, Episode 15) (here) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Craig Fairbaugh returns for his second appearance on the Ocean Protect Podcast, after his first appearance nearly broke the internet. In this chat, we dig a little deeper into Craig’s incredible punk rock career with bands like +44, Transplants, and Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards – the subsequent transition to superstar environmental engineer – and get Craig’s insights from the US on a bunch of stormwater pollution-related stuff, including ‘zero trash to waterways’ targets, asset maintenance, testing protocols, bioretention and more. This is an AMAZING chat. Useful links:Craig on LinkedIn (here)Ocean Protect Podcast episode “Craig Fairbaugh – Stormwater Rock Star” (October 2022, Season 4, Episode 18) (here) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Jessica Coughlan is a campaigner with Neighbours of Fish Farming - a community organisation in southern Tasmania. NOFF's goal is to save Tasmanian's unique natural waterways from the damage being caused by the multinational Atlantic salmon industry. In this chat, we talk about what it's like to be a neighbour of a fish farm, what Atlantic Salmon farming is really like, and what you can do about it.Useful links:Jessica's email: secretary@noff.auOff the TableNeighbours of Fish FarmingVimeo of the The Maugean Skate: https://vimeo.com/864263625Vimeo "Toxic Truth": https://vimeo.com/707402254Vimeo "Essie Davis, A Toxic Future": https://vimeo.com/742916685Vimeo "Paradise Lost by Justin Kurzel and Connor Castles Lynch": https://vimeo.com/742666590 For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Kate Parker is a Chief Officer with Sea Shepherd Global and a Co-founder of 'Daughters of the Deep', a charity formed with friends, aiming to tackle gender inequality within marine industries. In this chat, Kate gives an insight to her time (so far) crewing with Sea Shepherd - from selling merch onshore to life offshore working on ocean conservation campaigns in Antarctica and beyond. We also hear about her incredible work with Daughters of the Deep - an organisation giving young women with a passion for the ocean to help connect, protect and have a career with our oceans. Kate is an amazing individual, and this is an amazing chat - recorded on board Sea Shepherd's Allankay ship.Useful links:Kate's email: kate@daughtersofthedeep.orgKate on the gram: https://www.instagram.com/ladyparker1984Daughters of the DeepSea Shepherd For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au

Matt Watson is Senior Fisheries Program Manager, Asia Pacific for the Marine Stewardship Council - an international non-profit on a mission to end overfishing, setting standards for sustainable fishing. This is a compelling, raw, but respectfully transparent chat - covering a range of topics including how MSC defines "sustainable seafood" and augments better practice in fisheries - along with a discussion on the key challenges, scientific uncertainties, krill fishing in Antarctica, and future of the seafood industry.Useful links:Matt on LinkedIn (here)MSC home page (here)MSC on Forced & child labour (here)MSC standards & certification (here)The MSC Fisheries Standard (here)Reuters article "One-third of world fish catch used for animal feed" (here)Previous Ocean Protect Podcast “The sustainability of seafood with MSC's Dr Adrian Gutteridge” (March 2020, here) For further information about Ocean Protect, check us out at www.oceanprotect.com.au