Yolanda is an environmental and marine social scientist, community organiser and ocean advocate. She is currently completing her PhD with the University of Queensland. Yolanda’s research interests include environmental psychology, behaviour change, effective climate change communication and marine socio-ecology. Her current PhD research explores the diverse connections between people and iconic marine ecosystems, such as the Great Barrier Reef, and whether these connections provide a unique pathway for strengthening public engagement with climate action. To ensure applied research outcomes, Yolanda has worked closely with several collaborative partners and end-users including the Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Coral Reef Research Hub, and the Great Barrier Reef tourism industry.

Yolanda is an active member of the Social Science Community for the Great Barrier Reef , the Marine Social Science Network Australia (SEQ Hub), and the founder and current coordinator for community-led initiative Divers for Climate. She is also a keen public speaker. You can find out more about Yolanda’s research and work here (https://yolandawaters.wordpress.com/).