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Dr Jenny Skerratt

Senior Research Scientist

https://people.csiro.au/S/J/Jennifer-Skerratt

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Contact details:

GPO BOX 1538
HOBART TAS 7001 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Jenny Skerratt is a Senior Research Scientist in the Coastal and Oceanic Systems Group, in CSIRO Environment and leads the Management scenarios work package in eReefs 5 on the Great Barrier Reef.

My research spans a diverse number of fields from complex numerical and scenario modelling and calibration of models with diverse observations through to a detailed understanding of microbial and marine ecosystems and biogeochemical processes as well as management, government and stakeholder interactions and integration of models into science policy.

Examples of my present research are modelling and scenarios of nutrients, sediments and pesticides across the Great Barrier Reef, aquaculture impacts and estuarine and coastal biogeochemistry. My earlier research areas have been molecular and chemical analysis of plankton and microbial environments, harmful algal bloom ecology, microbial ecology toxicity and taxonomy.

Within the CSIRO Coastal Environmental Modelling (CEM) team whose models are deployed nationally and internationally specifics of my research involves:
1. Integration of catchment model nutrients, pesticides and sediments into the marine eReefs model.
2. Comparison and calibration of models against diverse observations
2. Modelling of water quality, catchments, pesticide impact and management scenarios across the Great Barrier Reef (eReefs) for the Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Report Card.
2. Modelling and scenario analyses of finfish, shellfish and aquaculture industries in Chile (SIMA Austral), Tasmania and South Australia
3. Scenario and sensitivity analysis for management and industry projects
4. Incorporation and analysis of the effect of sewage, stormwater, aquaculture and river discharge in estuaries and coastal environments.

ResearchGate (2023)
Total Articles in Publication List: 64
Sum of the Times Cited: 2,893
h-index: 32

Highlight publication using the eReefs model and validating with observations: Skerratt, J.H., Baird, M.E., Mongin, M., Ellis, R., Smith, R.A., Shaw, M., Steven, A.D. 2023. Dispersal of the Pesticide Diuron in the Great Barrier Reef. Science of the Total Environment, 879, 163041, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163041.

Current Roles

  • Project Lead for Management Scenarios in eReefs V (2021-2023)
    Lead the model simulation scenarios project for eReefs in the Great Barrier Reef

  • Lead in observational comparison and calibration for the CSIRO biogeochemical modelling group
    Biogeochemical modelling observational and statistical analysis for projects in Great Barrier Reef, Chile, South East Queensland, Southern Tasmanian estuaries, South Australia Tuna fisheries

  • Scenario and biogeochemical modelling
    Modelling analyses of nutrients, sediments and pesticides for Aquaculture, Great Barrier Reef, Water quality management

Academic Qualifications

  • 2002

    PhD
    IASOS, Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Tasmania

  • 1992

    First class (upper) Honours
    IASOS, Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Tasmania

Achievements and Awards

  • 2004-2008

    CSIRO Office of the Chief Executive post doctoral award
    CSIRO

  • 2002

    Deans Role of excellence (PhD) award
    University of Tasmania

  • 1999-2000

    French Embassy Award
    Australian French Embassy

Other highlights

  • Prior to CSIRO-

    Antarctic field and marine science research (Led 4 summer field season projects for the UTAS Antarctic Microbiology group and the Antarctic CRC)

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 2009-2019

    CSIRO Scientists and Mathematicians in schools (SMiS)

We have publications by Dr Jenny Skerratt