PhD student Olga wins two grants for her PhD research
PhD student Olga M. Azevedo has secured two grants to advance her Shark Bay research on tiger sharks, dugongs and turtles.
We are thrilled to share that our PhD student, Olga M. Azevedo, has been awarded two research grants, a fantastic achievement that will support her PhD research work focused on predator and prey dynamics including sharks, turtles and dugongs.
One of the research grants Olga secured is from the Save Our Seas Foundation for her study on “Tigers of the Sea: are Shark Bay’s apex predators feeding on the most vulnerable?”. This study will investigate how much tiger sharks rely on threatened species like dugongs and turtles as prey, and how climate-driven shifts in prey availability could reshape the entire ecosystem. The other grant Olga also secured is from the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment and it will be to explore what tiger sharks are really eating and to use fatty acids analysis to map the role of tiger sharks in the food web of Shark Bay/Gathaagudu, Western Australia. Securing these grants isa huge success for Olga and a big win for the Lab, ensuring that the research we started in Gathagudu with the GAT project will continue.
PhD students winning competitive grants is a direct testament to the high quality of the students in our lab and a good reflection of our values, which include fostering independence, encouraging curiosity, and building research that is meaningful for conservation.
Congratulations Olga on this fantastic achievement!