Danielle Smith

Danielle Smith is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Blue Economy CRC, affiliated with the Centre for Policy Futures at The University of Queensland's St Lucia Campus. Her work focuses on legal and policy frameworks for offshore wind energy development in Australia.

• Specialist in international environmental legal institutions
• Expertise in marine protected areas (MPAs) and biodiversity governance
• Pioneer in marine spatial planning and environmental impact assessments

Smith's research bridges scientific and legal perspectives, particularly examining anthropogenic and climatic impacts on offshore marine environments. Her career spans 7 years in ocean governance and over 15 years as a marine environmental consultant, including significant work in the offshore oil and gas industry before transitioning to renewable energy research.

Her publications address critical topics such as:

• Climate change mitigation through MPAs
• Antarctic marine resource management
• High seas governance frameworks
• South China Sea geopolitical dynamics
• Coastal infrastructure development

As a multidisciplinary researcher, Smith combines environmental science with international law to develop sustainable governance models for emerging marine industries.