Marine biologist Elise Tuuri is the recipient of the 2022 SARDI Science Bursary for Women. The $1500 bursary is awarded each year to a female graduate studying in South Australia in the agriculture, fisheries, natural resource management or forestry science fields.
Currently halfway through a PhD in biological oceanography at Flinders University, Ms Tuuri’s research focuses on the growing issue of microplastics in the ocean; specifically, how much is eaten by zooplankton, how much microplastic there is in Australian oceans, as well as how it moves in the currents.
Ms Tuuri’s research will be the first to review how microplastics enter the marine food web through zooplankton in Australia. The possible impacts of microplastic consumption on marine organisms and ecosystems in Australian oceans could help with targeting clean-up efforts and waste management efforts.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven said the bursary was an important way to support and encourage women’s study in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and natural resource management.
The SARDI science bursary was established in 1994 to celebrate the South Australian Women's Suffrage Centenary.
Quotes attributable to Elise Tuuri
As a PhD student, receiving the bursary means a lot to me. I’ll use the funds for training in MATLAB software so I can model the movement of microplastics in currents around Australia.
I was born in Finland, but I grew up in Victor Harbor, so I spent a lot of time in the ocean. At school I did well in the sciences, and I wanted to study something which would be challenging but also allow me to maintain my outdoor lifestyle.
Any remaining funds will go toward costs of attending the Australian Marine Sciences Association conference this year.