Adrienne Gooden (BSc(Hons) ’22) never feared sharks. Growing up in New Zealand, they weren’t immersed in Australia’s beach culture, but a fascination with the animal led them to a career in marine science. Today, their research highlights the challenges facing their recovery, including threats that can reduce populations and alter their distribution and habitat use.
Adrienne’s work studying climate change in ocean habitats places them at the forefront of marine conservation and education programs that are informing the wider population about changing marine habitats and species population behaviour – especially for white sharks.
“Under human-driven climate change, the distribution of white sharks is likely to contract as suitable habitat is lost in northern areas. This could change where white sharks feed and migrate, and we are already seeing the effects of ocean warming in distribution and migration timing on fish and some shark species along the New South Wales coast,” says Adrienne. “There is an urgency to this work because the east coast of Australia is warming three to four times faster than the global average.”
Adrienne, currently a PhD candidate at Southern Cross University on Gumbaynggirr Country Coffs Harbour, says they always wanted to be a marine scientist. After finishing school, they began a teaching degree, but a cage-diving experience with white sharks changed everything. Inspired by the encounter, Adrienne transferred to marine science and has been studying sharks since.
They came to Flinders University to do their Honours studies after meeting Professor Charlie Huveneers and Dr Lauren Meyer from Flinders’ Marine and Coastal Research Consortium at a conference in Queensland. “I was inspired by their work with sharks to come and study at Flinders – and they have been instrumental in my progression and in shaping me as a scientist.”
Adrienne’s research focuses on understanding the environmental drivers of white shark behaviour and movement along Australia’s east coast using a range of tracking technologies. Their primary tool is an animal-borne camera and accelerometer, like a Fitbit for sharks, which, when paired with a satellite tag, allows researchers to reconstruct the sharks’ movements in great detail.
“These technologies give us an unprecedented insight into the lives of white sharks,” Adrienne says. “We can track their fine-scale movements, the habitats they use, and the environmental conditions they experience. The onboard cameras also let us see the world from a shark’s perspective, revealing behaviours we’ve never observed before, including interactions with species such as oarfish, moray eels and marlin.”
Beyond their research, Adrienne is passionate about making marine science accessible. They deliver public talks to help dispel myths about sharks and inspire a greater appreciation for their role in healthy marine ecosystems. They co-developed the Young Marine Biologists Program, which gives young people in Coffs Harbour hands-on experiences in marine science to build curiosity, scientific literacy and confidence.
“Our program aims to show students the incredible diversity of careers in marine science,” Adrienne says. “We want to encourage students to pursue STEM subjects and see university as a pathway into those careers.”
Adrienne also works alongside local Aboriginal Rangers, supporting marine science training while learning from their deep knowledge of Sea Country. “I love teaching, but I also love being out in the field,” she says. “Programs like this let me share my passion for marine science while showing young people that they can be part of it too.”
Adrienne says there is much more to do in white shark research, especially with pursuing elusive adult white sharks off Australia’s eastern coast. “We have built a greater understanding of the juvenile and immature white sharks that move along the coast, but we know little about the adults, especially large females. Studies have shown that many immature white sharks are closely related, suggesting that relatively few sharks are contributing to the next generation – which highlights how much we still need to learn about this part of the population.”
Adrienne Gooden was awarded a 2026 Early Career Alumni Award for their significant contribution to marine science, advancing understanding of white shark behaviour and habitat through innovative research, while strengthening STEM engagement and partnerships with Indigenous communities and youth in regional Australia.