Rodrigo Garcia

Rodrigo Garcia is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the School of Earth and Oceans, University of Western Australia. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Curtin University (2011–2016), with earlier degrees in Physics and Chemistry (B.Sc. Honours, Curtin University, 2008–2010). His research focuses on remote sensing techniques for shallow water bathymetry, marine ecosystems, and climate change impacts on coral reefs. Garcia has authored 22 publications, including works on satellite data validation, reef fish population dynamics, and algorithm development for environmental monitoring.

Key research areas include the fusion of LiDAR and multispectral data for bathymetry mapping, and the application of hyperspectral remote sensing to assess coastal environments. He leads the ARC-funded project 'Remote-sensing techniques to infer fine-scale ocean surface currents' (2022–2026), collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on oceanographic and ecological challenges.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Applied Physics (2016), Curtin University
  • B.Sc. (Honours) Physics (2010), Curtin University
  • B.Sc. (Honours) Chemistry (2009), Curtin University
• Grants:
  • ARC Australian Research Council: Remote-sensing techniques for ocean surface currents (2022–2026)

Garcia’s work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action (SDG 13) and life below water (SDG 14). His recent publications address critical issues like ENSO-driven ecosystem shifts and coral reef resilience under climate change.