Biography and expertise
Biography
Professor Peter Harrison is the founding Director of the Marine Ecology Research Centre at Southern Cross University. Peter is a recognised leader in coral reproduction ecology and coral larval restoration and has been actively researching and teaching a wide range of marine science and ecology programs for more than 35 years.
Peter is a member of SCU's Research Clusters:
- Reefs and Oceans
Peter's work contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals
Research
Professor Peter Harrison's major research interests include global patterns of coral reproduction, impacts of pollution and stress on coral reefs and other marine ecosystems, coral reef rehabilitation, whale and dolphin ecology and conservation, long-term monitoring of subtropical and tropical marine reef communities, dispersal and biogeography of corals and implications for global networks of marine protected areas. His work spans the Great Barrier Reef, subtropical Australia, and international sites. He has been awarded more than $11 million in research grants and Antarctic field support, and awarded multiple prizes for excellence in science research and University teaching.
Supervision
Peter has supervised over 50 postgraduate and Honours students and currently mentors 11 postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers. Peter also led the development of the SCU Whale and Dolphin Research Centre as its Director since 2002, which has supported numerous postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers on whales and dolphins in Australia and overseas.
Teaching
Peter coordinates the capstone unit Coral Reefs on the Edge for the Marine Science and Management degree, delivered intensively at Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef.