Rod Connolly

Professor Rod Connolly is a marine scientist and academic at Griffith University, holding the position of Professor in Marine Science within the School of Environment and Science (Department of Environment and Marine). He leads the Coastal and Marine Research Centre and the Global Wetlands Project at Griffith University. His work focuses on automated monitoring of marine ecosystems, including reefs, seagrass, saltmarsh, and mangroves, using tools like chemical tracers and deep learning algorithms to assess ecosystem health and blue carbon sequestration. He chairs scientific panels managing water quality and habitat conservation globally. Connolly teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in estuarine ecology and has supervised over 30 doctoral students. His research addresses urbanization, climate change, and ecosystem resilience, with a strong emphasis on applied solutions for sustainable coastal management.

Education: PhD in Marine Science from the University of Adelaide.

Research Interests:

• Automated marine ecosystem monitoring
• Deep learning analysis of marine imagery
• Ecology of coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves
• Climate change impacts on marine systems
• Ecosystem resilience and spatial conservation planning

Key Contributions:

• Developed AI-driven methods for fish surveys and coastal monitoring.
• Advanced understanding of blue carbon dynamics in coastal wetlands.
• Guided restoration strategies for shellfish reefs and mangroves.

Grants & Collaborations: Led over 140 funded projects, including collaborations with government agencies (e.g., NSW Department of Primary Industries), NGOs (e.g., The Goodman Foundation), and international partners (e.g., Water and Environmental Association of the River Kymi). Major grants include $954,836 from the Australian Research Council for wetland assessment studies.

Labs & Teams: Directs the Coastal and Marine Research Centre and contributes to the Australian Rivers Institute, fostering interdisciplinary coastal research.