Thomas Wernberg

Thomas Wernberg is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the UWA Oceans Institute. His research focuses on ecological interactions in coastal marine habitats, particularly kelp forests, and their responses to climate change, marine heatwaves, and invasive species. He has held roles including Chair of UWA's Boating & Diving Safety Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Aquatic Botany. Wernberg has contributed to over 267 publications and secured 53 grants, including projects on kelp restoration and blue carbon management. He is a recipient of multiple 'Highly Cited Researcher' awards and has advised on initiatives like Seaforester. His work bridges sub-cellular to macro-ecological scales, addressing climate mitigation through marine ecosystem services.

Education: MSc from Roskilde University (RUC). Previous Positions: ARC Future Fellow (2011–2015), Senior Lecturer (2015–2021), and various postdoctoral roles at UWA and other institutions.

Research Themes: Climate change impacts, marine heatwaves, kelp restoration (Green Gravel), blue carbon, and biodiversity conservation. His lab explores resilience thresholds, ecological costs of stress, and genetic diversity's role in adaptation. Collaborations span global institutions, with active research in Arctic/Subarctic regions and Australian marine ecosystems.

Grants & Projects: Includes operational upscaling of seaforestation, hydrodynamic energy attenuation studies, and blue carbon management. He leads initiatives to protect 4 million hectares of kelp forests by 2040.

Awards: 2019–2022 Highly Cited Researcher (Web of Science), 2022 Senior Research Award (UWA School of Biological Sciences).

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Great Southern Reef Foundation, Uluu Scientific Advisory Board, and international networks like the Green Gravel Action Group.