Molly-Mae Baker

Molly-Mae Baker is a Doctor of Philosophy student at the University of Western Australia and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, holding a casual teaching appointment in the School of Biological Sciences. She is affiliated with the UWA Oceans Institute and maintains an active research profile in coral reef science.

Her academic background includes a Master of Science in Marine Biology from the National Oceanography Centre, where she investigated dissolved inorganic nutrients' effects on coral growth and health without heterotrophic nutrient sources.

Baker's research centers on coral early life history, integrating ecological modelling and multi-reef fieldwork to examine larval settlement, post-settlement survival, and population recovery dynamics. She investigates how environmental factors influence coral resilience in rapidly changing ocean conditions, with specific focus on recruitment processes critical for reef restoration.

Her publication record features a 2025 Ecological Modelling article analyzing fine-scale coral settlement patterns through integrated biological and environmental frameworks, demonstrating methodological innovation in spatial ecology applications for reef conservation.

She has received significant recognition including:

• Vicki Harriott Award from the Australian Coral Reef Society (2024)
• Ecological Society of Australia Student Research Award (2023)
• Multiple AIMS/UWA scholarships covering full tuition and research expenses (2022)

Baker serves as Student Representative for the Australian Marine Science Association (WA Branch) while conducting her ESA-funded doctoral research on coral settlement mechanisms. Her teaching activities at UWA since June 2023 complement her research in marine science education.

She collaborates extensively with the AIMS@UWA research group and UWA Oceans Institute, contributing to long-term coral reef monitoring initiatives across Western Australia's reef systems.