Big dreams about little creatures for AIMS Indigenous scientist

A star student from AIMS’ marine science graduate program will be blazing a trail in the United States later this year after winning a prestigious Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship to help further her research into a plankton species and its role in dangerous algae blooms.

Danielle Kampers, who works at AIMS’ Perth site, also received American Australian Association and Roberta Sykes Foundation scholarships to help her pursue a master in science degree at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California, beginning later this year.

Danielle, whose family are originally from Margaret River in Noongar country in Western Australia’s south west, said her years at AIMS not only developed her as a scientist but helped her take a significant step closer to understanding her identity.

“I grew up on the east coast of Australia, so for much of my upbringing I felt disconnected from my roots due to gaps in our family history, leaving me with an incomplete sense of connection to my country,” said Danielle.

“Upon being offered this role at AIMS, I had specifically asked to join the Perth office and I deferred my initial plans to study in the US for this opportunity at AIMS.

“While here I have worked in the Marine Fauna Ecology and Pressures team, and I also joined AIMS’ Northern Australian Marine Monitoring Alliance team (NAMMA) where I focused on analysing BRUVS (baited underwater video stations) data and other materials across the three Traditional Owner groups that make up NAMMA.

“The sum of these experiences have helped me to feel ready and have given me a new found sense of confidence within myself to do my own research knowing more about where I come from, as well as the invaluable experience I have gained from this graduate role.”

Danielle said following high school, she spent around five years working in the hospitality industry and did not think she was cut out for university. She also didn’t see other First Nations people in STEM. All that changed after seeing a patch of a dozen nudibranchs during a scuba dive off Sydney. 

“That was when I decided I wanted to pursue a science degree to learn more about the marine world. I drove home that afternoon and asked my parents to help me enrol at university,” she explained.

“I enrolled in aquaculture subjects at James Cook University and participated in an internship as part of my degree, during which I gained hands-on experience at a prawn farm in Ayr, Queensland. 

“I began to understand the importance of sustainable aquaculture, the increasing pressure on global food systems and how seafood farming impacts the environment. I spent a good amount of time analysing water samples and identifying plankton species. I found it interesting that, despite their small size, algae blooms can be very disruptive and have an impact on aquaculture, consequently affecting food security and ecosystems.”

During this time, Danielle said she had also been on a journey learning about her surroundings and the issues First Nation people face in their everyday lives. 

“Science has never been on the agenda for communities, and if it has, it’s typically under someone else’s control or direction. It has inspired me to further my education and work towards enhancing the presence of First Nation people in academia,” she said.

“It led me to present about NAMMA on behalf of AIMS to an audience at a conference in Perth last year, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Summit. This was the first time I presented and communicated any research related work, and I was very grateful to have AIMS scientists Dr Martial Depczynzki and Dr Katherine Cure both attend to support me.”

For now, Danielle is wrapping up her time at AIMS and preparing for her big move to the US, where she will conduct a research thesis on a type of marine plankton and its relation to algae bloom formation.

“I hope my findings can be incorporated into predictive models that can improve the accuracy of bloom forecasts and early warning systems, enabling more effective management and response efforts,” she said.

Feature image: Gemma Molinaro