Dr Robin Beaman is a marine geologist, who received his BSc from James Cook University (1993), and BAntSt(Hons) and PhD at the University of Tasmania (2005). Previously, he was a Navy hydrographic surveyor. Now based at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia, Robin has participated in numerous ocean mapping expeditions all around Australia and the South Pacific, and to East Antarctica. His current research is focussed on revealing the deeper Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea underwater landscape (or seascape) using advanced mapping technologies such as multibeam sonar, airborne lidar bathymetry, and satellite derived bathymetry. He also leads a successful crowdsourced bathymetry project on the GBR using volunteer vessels to log their depth data throughout the Reef. Studies of these seascapes have led to research papers on submarine canyons, submerged (drowned) reefs, mesophotic coral ecosystems, Halimeda (green algae) bioherms, coldwater coral environments, palaeo-river channels, underwater landslides, seamounts, tsunami modelling, and habitat mapping. Robin is an active member of AusSeabed, a national seabed mapping coordination program, with expertise in the compilation of large 3D depth models for Australian waters.
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