KZ: Hi Cayne! What inspired your decision to study topics like the ecology of kelp forests?

C: I grew up in Canberra and along the southern NSW coast, and spent a lot of time fishing, rock-pooling, and snorkeling at the beach. I’ve always been really fascinated with the marine environment in our cooler southern waters, like the animals that live in kelp forests. The other big influence that led me to study kelp forests was that they are really unknown and understudied, and there’s still so much to learn about these amazing environments. 

KZ: What are the best and worst parts of your job?

C: Field work and studying animals and seaweeds in their natural environment is definitely the best part of my job. The worst part is probably filling out all the paperwork and forms before I go into the field. Universities love paperwork!

KZ: What would K-Zoners be surprised to learn about you? 

C: Haha, I’m not actually a very good swimmer! I swim a bit like a beach ball, and while I am very comfortable in the water and will happily float around way out to sea, I am very slow and uncoordinated.

To read more of our interview with Cayne, grab the December 2021 issue of K-Zone, on sale now!