During this project we met a number of scientists from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. They helped us learn all about seagrass ecology. We wanted to find out what jobs they have to do as part of their work with the DPI and we also wanted to know what study they had to do to become scientists.

To find out we emailed the real Chantal (a DPI Fisheries Biologist) who our cartoon diver is based on and asked her about what it is like working at the DPI. This is what we found out:

Name: Chantal Roder

Occupation title: Fisheries Biologist

Were did you go to high school:
Woodlands Girls Grammar School, South Australia

Were did you go to primary school:
Fulham Primary, South Australia

Were did you go to university:
Flinders University in South Australia; and James Cook University
in Townsville

What do you research in the DPI?
Seagrass Ecology.

What do you do in the DPI?
* Conduct experiments on productivity of seagrasses,
* map and monitor the condition and trend of seagrass resources,
* survey seagrasses in Dugong Protection Areas
* write reports on the status of seagrass resources to management
agencies such as The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Ports
Corporation of Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and
Environmental Protection Agency of Queensland
* train other scientists and the general community techniques in
monitoring seagrasses

How long have you worked within the DPI:
5 and a half years (Began in January 1996)

Is the DPI your only job?
At the moment. I have worked for SARDI (South Australian Research
and Development Institute) in Adelaide before moving to Queensland

What are there qualifications?
Bachelor of Science with Honours

What type of courses did you take in university?
In my science degree, I undertook classes such as: marine biology,
biological conservation, biological experimentation, statistics (like
maths), marine ecology, marine physiology and some geography courses.

How long they spent in university to become a member of the DPI?
I spent 5 years at University

What would they like to do within the DPI in the future?
I'd like to find out how other marine plants, such as algae,
contribute to ecology as fisheries habitats

What is the best thing about being a DPI scientist?
Collecting information about seagrasses that aid management agencies
to protect dugong populations, and help to protect habitat for juvenile fish
and prawns.
Seeing a lot of underwater life (scuba diving and snorkelling)
around the coasts and deeper waters of Queensland, that most other people
don't get a chance to see.