Dr Vanessa Pirotta
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Wildlife conservation, innovative technology, marine conservation, whale watching, ocean health, ocean pollution, anthropogenic effects on marine mammals, global shipping, marine megafauna, marine biology, marine mammals, ecology of marine mammals, cetaceans, whales, dolphins, porpoises, migration, marine mammal behaviour, marine, environment, stranding, beaching, breach, cetacean, calf, ocean, marine environment, drones, whale snot, conservation, boat, fisheries, entanglements, science communication, education, women in science, STEM, STEAM, science, wildlife trafficking.Media
More Media Info
Previous media experience
Multiple live in-studio interviews with ABC News.
Previously interviewed by:
- BBC World News Television (multiple LIVE international interviews)
- BBC World News radio
- CBS America
- ABC Australia
- ABC QandA panellist 2021
- 7.30 Report, ABC, Australia
- ABC Catalyst
- ABC News Breakfast/Weekend Breakfast
- The Project, Ten Network
- Sunrise, Channel 7
- Today Show, 9 Network
- ABC News Breakfast
- BBC Radio
- SBS World News
- Al Jazeera
- Reuters
- Network 10: Studio 10 and 10 News First
- Nine News Sydney
- Channel 7 news Sydney
-National winner of the FameLab science communication competition. International runner up in global final 2018 in the UK.
- TEDx speaker
- Invited speaker at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy
- Keynote speaker at multiple conferences.
Links to media clippings
Biography
Dr Vanessa Pirotta is a marine/wildlife scientist, woman in STEAM and science communicator. Her most well-known research involves the use of emerging technologies such as drones for whale conservation. Vanessa has led pioneering research in collaboration with industry experts to develop custom-built, waterproof drones to collect whale snot (visible plume of spray) from large whales for an assessment of whale health. The demand for Vanessa’s expertise has seen her work around the world including Tonga, Antarctica, Madagascar and Italy as a marine wildlife expert at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.Vanessa is also a passionate and experienced science communicator who loves making science accessible. Her keen interests cover topics of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, also known as STEAM. Vanessa has represented Australia internationally as the national winner of a world-renowned science communication competition known as FameLab, placing second in the world. Most recently, her research and efforts to connect with schools and science professionals has seen her recognized as one of the top 100 Women of Influence judged by the Australian Financial Review. Vanessa has also been listed as one of 60 women from around Australia to join the 2021-2022 Science & Technology Australia Superstar's of STEM program.
Vanessa is currently working on new and exciting wildlife research using innovative technologies.