Bertarelli-Annual-Report-2024-FULL - Flipbook - Page 34
Bertarelli Foundation
Senior Researchers
Prof. Phil Hosegood
Dr. Shaili Johri
Associate Professor in Physical Oceanography
Research Scientist at Stanford University
at the University of Plymouth
“Our research into why
marine organisms, from
plankton up to apex predators,
accumulate and aggregate over
submarine features like seamounts
provides critical insight into how
we can improve conservation
strategies.”
“The key to safeguarding our
oceans for future generations
lies in building a scalable and
sustainable ocean surveillance
framework, driven by inclusive
interdisciplinary research and
empowering capacity building!”
Phil’s research in the Indian Ocean aims to identify
the physical oceanographic mechanisms that trigger a
behavioural response throughout the marine ecosystem,
in species ranging in size from the plankton at the
bottom of the food web up to apex predators such as
sharks. He uses observational techniques alongside
predictive numerical models to reveal how internal
waves breaking over shallow seamounts promote the
aggregation of sharks or how topographic eddies, which
are essentially whirlpools generated by currents flowing
past headlands, trigger mass feeding events amongst
manta rays in the Maldives.
Shaili’s research focuses on developing a scalable,
sustainable framework for monitoring marine
ecosystems across ocean basins, seamlessly integrating
cutting-edge innovations in large-scale ocean
surveillance with regional capacity building. She leads
the Reef Shark Genomescapes Project, creating the
largest genomic reference databases for reef sharks
across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, driving progress
in conservation, fisheries traceability, and management.
Her research, training, commitment to inclusivity, and
leadership have empowered communities and advanced
conservation across several countries in Asia and Africa.
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