Peter Ralph is an internationally respected academic and research leader in algae biosystems and biotechnology, seagrasses and plankton, and the adaptation of marine plants to warming and acidifying oceans.
A professor of marine biology at UTS, he is Executive Director of the Faculty of Science’s Climate Change Cluster research institute (C3), which is furnishing new insights into how marine ecosystems respond to climate change, and innovative solutions for preventing or mitigating further ecosystem deterioration.
Peter, who also founded the government-backed New South Wales Deep Green Biotech Hub, has made significant advances in the understanding of photosynthetic processes in seagrass, coral, plankton and algae growing at their environmental extremes.
He is currently applying his knowledge of bio-optics and photosynthesis to develop new sensors, diagnostics and cultivation systems for use in the algae-biotechnology sector.
Peter was a member of the IOC-UNESCO Blue Carbon Initiative’s International Scientific Working Group.
He collaborates nationally and internationally with industry, research and education sectors, and with NGOs and start-ups, to deliver a sustainable, circular bioeconomy.
Peter has authored more than 300 publications, including research articles, books and book chapters, and has attracted over A$16 million in research funding from industry and government departments and agencies.