Scientific Advisory Committee

Ensuring best practice

Scientific Advisory Committee

Ensuring best practice

CCC benefits from a cohort of internationally renowned marine conservation, taxonomic and sustainable development experts, whom we are able to call upon to benefit from their expertise when developing, establishing and operating our projects; ensuring best practice. 

By drawing on their expertise, we can assure a scientifically robust framework that delivers highly impactful results to project beneficiaries. With the continuous evolving world of conservation, ensuring that newly developed protocols are utilised by CCC is critical to maintaining our efficacy. 

We've included a small biography of each of our Scientific Advisory Committee members below. 
Professor Peter Mumby
Professor Peter Mumby
Coral Reef Modelling & Remote Sensing
Professor Peter Mumby is a highly regarded coral reef scientist who has published over 300 scientific peer-reviewed papers in journals that include Science and Nature. Between 1992 and 1994, Peter worked for Coral Cay Conservation as Science Coordinator. He has since gone on to pursue an accomplished academic career. In 2010, Peter received an Australian Research Council Laureate for a Professorial Fellow at the University of Queensland in Australia and was awarded the Zoological Society of London‘s Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation and a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation in the same year. He is now also Chief Scientist of Great Barrier Reef Foundation and was awarded the inaugural award for contributions to reef science by a mid-career scientist by the International Coral Reef Society.

Current Role: Professor at the Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Coral Reef Modelling & Remote Sensing
Professor Peter Mumby is a highly regarded coral reef scientist who has published over 300 scientific peer-reviewed papers in journals that include Science and Nature. Between 1992 and 1994, Peter worked for Coral Cay Conservation as Science Coordinator. He has since gone on to pursue an accomplished academic career. In 2010, Peter received an Australian Research Council Laureate for a Professorial Fellow at the University of Queensland in Australia and was awarded the Zoological Society of London‘s Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation and a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation in the same year. He is now also Chief Scientist of Great Barrier Reef Foundation and was awarded the inaugural award for contributions to reef science by a mid-career scientist by the International Coral Reef Society.

Current Role: Professor at the Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Professor Morgan Pratchett
Professor Morgan Pratchett
Coral Reefs & Climate Change 
Professor Morgan Pratchett is an extremely accomplished and internationally-renowned coral reef ecologist who has broad interests in population and community ecology of coral reef organisms, especially corals and fishes. He is based at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef, but has worked on coral reefs throughout the world, including the Arabian Gulf, Maldives, Chagos, Guam and French Polynesia.

Morgan has published >250 scientific papers and is also the Editor-in-Chief for the international journal Coral Reefs. His current research focuses on major disturbances that impact coral reef ecosystems, with a view to understanding differential responses and vulnerabilities among coral reef organisms. He is a leading authority on the biology and ecology of crown-of-thorns starfish and is also very involved in documenting and highlighting the impacts of global climate change on coral reef ecosystems. 

Current Role: Research Leader – Coral Reef Ecology, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Australia. 
Professor Morgan Pratchett is an extremely accomplished and internationally-renowned coral reef ecologist who has broad interests in population and community ecology of coral reef organisms, especially corals and fishes. He is based at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef, but has worked on coral reefs throughout the world, including the Arabian Gulf, Maldives, Chagos, Guam and French Polynesia.

Morgan has published >250 scientific papers and is also the Editor-in-Chief for the international journal Coral Reefs. His current research focuses on major disturbances that impact coral reef ecosystems, with a view to understanding differential responses and vulnerabilities among coral reef organisms. He is a leading authority on the biology and ecology of crown-of-thorns starfish and is also very involved in documenting and highlighting the impacts of global climate change on coral reef ecosystems. 

Current Role: Research Leader – Coral Reef Ecology, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Australia. 
Coral Reefs & Climate Change 
Professor Morgan Pratchett is an extremely accomplished and internationally-renowned coral reef ecologist who has broad interests in population and community ecology of coral reef organisms, especially corals and fishes. He is based at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef, but has worked on coral reefs throughout the world, including the Arabian Gulf, Maldives, Chagos, Guam and French Polynesia.

Morgan has published >250 scientific papers and is also the Editor-in-Chief for the international journal Coral Reefs. His current research focuses on major disturbances that impact coral reef ecosystems, with a view to understanding differential responses and vulnerabilities among coral reef organisms. He is a leading authority on the biology and ecology of crown-of-thorns starfish and is also very involved in documenting and highlighting the impacts of global climate change on coral reef ecosystems. 

Current Role: Research Leader – Coral Reef Ecology, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Australia. 
Coral Reefs & Climate Change 
Dr. Greta Aeby
Dr. Greta Aeby
Coral Health & Disease
Using a combination of field surveys and laboratory investigations, including histopathology and microbiology, Dr. Aeby spent the past decade studying coral, fish and crustose coralline algae disease in Hawaii and in areas of the Indo-Pacific.

She is now based in Qatar where she continues her research on coral reef health on coral reefs in the Middle East. 

Current Role: Research Associate, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
Coral Health & Disease
Using a combination of field surveys and laboratory investigations, including histopathology and microbiology, Dr. Aeby spent the past decade studying coral, fish and crustose coralline algae disease in Hawaii and in areas of the Indo-Pacific.

She is now based in Qatar where she continues her research on coral reef health on coral reefs in the Middle East. 

Current Role: Research Associate, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
Dr. Simon Harding
Dr. Simon Harding
Coral Reef Policy
Dr Harding has over twenty years of professional experience working in marine and coastal ecosystems, mainly in tropical environments. Specialist areas of expertise are coral reef resource and biodiversity assessments, marine conservation planning and habitat mapping, small-scale fisheries management, MPA designation for community-based management, environmental training and awareness programmes for local stakeholders and counterparts and providing high-level marine conservation and fisheries policy advice to decision makers.

Simon has worked with a range of organisations and project partners, including international NGO’s, government ministries, departments and institutes, international bodies (UNOPS, UNDP, GEF, EU, UN Environment, CBD) and academic institutions in a number of countries (UK, Philippines, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Maldives and Madagascar). 

Current Role: Marine Consultant
Dr Harding has over twenty years of professional experience working in marine and coastal ecosystems, mainly in tropical environments. Specialist areas of expertise are coral reef resource and biodiversity assessments, marine conservation planning and habitat mapping, small-scale fisheries management, MPA designation for community-based management, environmental training and awareness programmes for local stakeholders and counterparts and providing high-level marine conservation and fisheries policy advice to decision makers.

Simon has worked with a range of organisations and project partners, including international NGO’s, government ministries, departments and institutes, international bodies (UNOPS, UNDP, GEF, EU, UN Environment, CBD) and academic institutions in a number of countries (UK, Philippines, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Maldives and Madagascar). 

Current Role: Marine Consultant
Coral Reef Policy
Dr Harding has over twenty years of professional experience working in marine and coastal ecosystems, mainly in tropical environments. Specialist areas of expertise are coral reef resource and biodiversity assessments, marine conservation planning and habitat mapping, small-scale fisheries management, MPA designation for community-based management, environmental training and awareness programmes for local stakeholders and counterparts and providing high-level marine conservation and fisheries policy advice to decision makers.

Simon has worked with a range of organisations and project partners, including international NGO’s, government ministries, departments and institutes, international bodies (UNOPS, UNDP, GEF, EU, UN Environment, CBD) and academic institutions in a number of countries (UK, Philippines, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Maldives and Madagascar). 

Current Role: Marine Consultant
Coral Reef Policy
Dr. Doug Fenner
Dr. Doug Fenner
Coral Taxonomy 
Dr Douglas Fenner is a contractor for NOAA, working on corals and the US Endangered Species act, including traveling annually to Pacific island countries to teach coral identification, construct field guides to coral identification, and provide other information support for coral conservation. Doug is also a consultant based in American Samoa.

After gaining his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, Doug provided his taxonomic expertise to NGOs and institutions in the Caribbean and Pacific. Doug has previously worked with CCC in the Philippines, facilitating in the description of coral species whilst advising on the implementation of Marine Protected Areas. Doug has also worked at the Australian Institute of Marine Science for Dr. J.E.N Veron, one of the world's top coral taxonomists, and as a Coral Reef Monitoring Ecologist, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, American Samoa.

Current Role: Current role: part-time contractor for NOAA on threatened and endangered corals, and coral reef consultant.
Coral Taxonomy 
Dr Douglas Fenner is a contractor for NOAA, working on corals and the US Endangered Species act, including traveling annually to Pacific island countries to teach coral identification, construct field guides to coral identification, and provide other information support for coral conservation. Doug is also a consultant based in American Samoa.

After gaining his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, Doug provided his taxonomic expertise to NGOs and institutions in the Caribbean and Pacific. Doug has previously worked with CCC in the Philippines, facilitating in the description of coral species whilst advising on the implementation of Marine Protected Areas. Doug has also worked at the Australian Institute of Marine Science for Dr. J.E.N Veron, one of the world's top coral taxonomists, and as a Coral Reef Monitoring Ecologist, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, American Samoa.

Current Role: Current role: part-time contractor for NOAA on threatened and endangered corals, and coral reef consultant.
Dr. Alastair Harborne
Dr. Alastair Harborne
Coral Reef Management 
During his time at Southampton University, Dr. Harborne participated in an expedition to Belize with Coral Cay. The work in Belize stimulated his interest in coral reefs and led to an undergraduate dissertation on reef fish communities.

Alastair is an ecologist primarily interested in coral reef fishes, with a particular focus on the impacts of environmental change on these fishes and aiding their conservation. Much of his current work, in both the Caribbean and Pacific, is examining the natural processes and anthropogenic impacts that control the abundance, ecology, and behaviour of reef fishes, and integrating this work into food web models to provide a comprehensive understanding of tropical communities and the threats to their health. This work includes interests in the impacts of marine reserves, the ecology of fishes on flat, coral-depauperate reefs of the future, and the impacts of tropical species moving onto sub-tropical reefs.

Current Roles: Assistant Professor, Tropical Fish Ecology Lab | www.tropicalfishecologylab.com 
Institute of Environment & Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University
During his time at Southampton University, Dr. Harborne participated in an expedition to Belize with Coral Cay. The work in Belize stimulated his interest in coral reefs and led to an undergraduate dissertation on reef fish communities.

Alastair is an ecologist primarily interested in coral reef fishes, with a particular focus on the impacts of environmental change on these fishes and aiding their conservation. Much of his current work, in both the Caribbean and Pacific, is examining the natural processes and anthropogenic impacts that control the abundance, ecology, and behaviour of reef fishes, and integrating this work into food web models to provide a comprehensive understanding of tropical communities and the threats to their health. This work includes interests in the impacts of marine reserves, the ecology of fishes on flat, coral-depauperate reefs of the future, and the impacts of tropical species moving onto sub-tropical reefs.

Current Roles: Assistant Professor, Tropical Fish Ecology Lab | www.tropicalfishecologylab.com 
Institute of Environment & Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University
Coral Reef Management 
During his time at Southampton University, Dr. Harborne participated in an expedition to Belize with Coral Cay. The work in Belize stimulated his interest in coral reefs and led to an undergraduate dissertation on reef fish communities.

Alastair is an ecologist primarily interested in coral reef fishes, with a particular focus on the impacts of environmental change on these fishes and aiding their conservation. Much of his current work, in both the Caribbean and Pacific, is examining the natural processes and anthropogenic impacts that control the abundance, ecology, and behaviour of reef fishes, and integrating this work into food web models to provide a comprehensive understanding of tropical communities and the threats to their health. This work includes interests in the impacts of marine reserves, the ecology of fishes on flat, coral-depauperate reefs of the future, and the impacts of tropical species moving onto sub-tropical reefs.

Current Roles: Assistant Professor, Tropical Fish Ecology Lab | www.tropicalfishecologylab.com 
Institute of Environment & Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University
Coral Reef Management 
Dr. Carl Cater
Dr. Carl Cater
Sustainable, Adventure, and Eco-Tourism
Dr Cater's research centres on the experiential turn in tourism and the subsequent growth of special interest sectors, particularly adventure tourism and ecotourism. He has written over forty papers and book chapters, is co-author of Marine Ecotourism: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (CABI, 2007) and editor of the Encyclopaedia of Sustainable Tourism (CABI, 2015). 

Dr Cater is also an editorial board member of Tourism Geographies, Journal of Ecotourism and Tourism in Marine Environments. He has supervised ten successful PhD completions and examined theses in the UK, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Norway and has travelled to over 80 countries. He has worked on projects for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, New South Wales Department of Education, the World Tourism and Travel Council, Gold Coast City Council, the Gold Coast Adventure Travel Group, Tourism Queensland and the Tourism Society. 

Current Role: Associate Professor in Tourism, School of Management, Swansea University, Wales.
Sustainable, Adventure, and Eco-Tourism
Dr Cater's research centres on the experiential turn in tourism and the subsequent growth of special interest sectors, particularly adventure tourism and ecotourism. He has written over forty papers and book chapters, is co-author of Marine Ecotourism: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (CABI, 2007) and editor of the Encyclopaedia of Sustainable Tourism (CABI, 2015). 

Dr Cater is also an editorial board member of Tourism Geographies, Journal of Ecotourism and Tourism in Marine Environments. He has supervised ten successful PhD completions and examined theses in the UK, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Norway and has travelled to over 80 countries. He has worked on projects for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, New South Wales Department of Education, the World Tourism and Travel Council, Gold Coast City Council, the Gold Coast Adventure Travel Group, Tourism Queensland and the Tourism Society. 

Current Role: Associate Professor in Tourism, School of Management, Swansea University, Wales.

Dr. Jess Savage

Dr Jess Savage is an accomplished assistant professor at the University of Warwick. During her post-graduate studies, Jess developed a conservation-based research programme in Cambodia, focussing on the appropriate development and efficacy of MPAs. Jess has a PhD in socio-economic and ecological impacts of marine management on local communities and has been actively involved in the governance and policy arrangements of marine management and has assisted in the establishment of a series of MPAs.


Jess has taught field-based courses in marine ecology, conservation and the scientific method to undergraduate students globally, whilst continuing her work on the efficacy of MPAs and their impacts on the environment, economy, local indigenous communities and tourism.


Jess’ main research interests focus on human-ecosystem interactions, the monitoring of marine resources and impact assessments. Her work centres around identifying the best means of integrating local resource-dependent communities into habitat conservation, monitoring and management.



Current role: Assistant Professor in Global Sustainable Development, Warwick University

Global Sustainable Development


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