Cecilia Biancacci
Seaweed Aquaculture Scientist
Role at Cawthron
Cecilia is a seaweed aquaculture scientist in Cawthron’s Aquaculture group, with 10 years of research and aquaculture experience. She works on various projects that focus on sustainable aquaculture of seaweeds with valuable applications. Her specialties include seaweed aquaculture, from nursery to grow out, including harvesting, processing and biochemical analyses. She also has extensive expertise in integrated multitrophic aquaculture, seaweed physiology and ecology, microalgae and invertebrate aquaculture and fieldwork. She has previously worked in Italy, Scotland, and Australia, interacting and collaborating with various sectors including research institutes and universities, government agencies, commercial partners, and schools.
Technical skills, experience and interests
- Seaweed aquaculture
- Development of cultivation protocols in the laboratory and at sea
- Physiology and biochemistry of seaweeds
- Ecological surveys and temporal studies
- Data analysis, review and synthesis
- Environmental impacts of aquaculture
- Microalgae cultivation
- Sea urchin aquaculture and diet trials
- Scientific and community outreach
Professional affiliations
- Member of Australasian Society for Phycology and Aquatic Botany
- Member of The International Seaweed Association
- Junior editor of “Reviews in Aquaculture”
Qualifications
- PhD Marine Science, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, 2019,
- Master’s degree Marine Bio-ecology, University of Cagliari, Italy, 2014,
- Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science, University of Rome, Italy, 2012