Dr Sue Mason

Growing up I always had an affinity for the water. But it wasn’t until I volunteered on a humpback whale project in Hawaii, that I fell in love with marine science.

Working alongside and learning from researchers from the University of Hawaii, I returned to Maui each year for eight years to be part of the project. Eventually, the desire to become a marine scientist myself became a reality and I completed my Science degree at Monash University. My Honours research led to working with the common dolphins in Port Phillip. Eventually, as part of my PhD study completed through Curtin University, I was able to show that the common dolphins that can be observed between Mt Eliza and Mt Martha, are resident to the bay. Their residency to this location is atypical of the species, which makes me wonder if other common dolphin communities along the Victorian coast are similar?

Today, I have the privilege of teaching and sharing my passion for Science by mentoring female Secondary students through Cetacean Sisters and STEM workshops. I’m also an Associate Research Fellow at Deakin University, an honorary position that allows me to guide and mentor University students who want to research cetaceans.

My personal mantra is ‘Good Science, good people, good puppies and good coffee’.  While it encapsulates all the things I love, my heart still lies where I started in marine science……. with humpback whales.

 About #the_caffeinated_biologist

Coffee and cetaceans, is there anything better? During my PhD and the common dolphin citizen science project that I ran, in conjunction with a local not-for-profit organisation, my volunteers and I would often ‘relax’ after our field sessions with a latte at one of our favourite cafes. This ‘habit’ stuck, and the caffeinated biologist evolved.