A woman in sunglasses stands with arms crossed, smiling, in front of surf beach
Dr Patricia Miloslavich – marine biologist and biological oceanographer Photo: Stefi Klein Miloslavich

Dr Patricia Miloslavich – BSc (Hons), PhD

Program Lead, East Antarctic Monitoring Program

Research interests

I started my training as a marine biologist at the Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela and continued with a PhD in Oceanography at the University of Quebec at Rimouski in Canada. For 25 years I was a professor at Universidad Simón Bolívar focusing on marine biology research, particularly on reproduction and ecology of marine snails. In the 2000s, I became involved with the Census of Marine Life decadal program, which provided me with the opportunity to visit the Chilean Antarctic base, Presidente Eduardo Frei, at King George Island.

I came to Australia in the mid-2010s to support the Biology and Ecosystems Panel from the Global Ocean Observing System, coordinating activities to implement global sustained observations of marine biodiversity and ecosystems to help mitigate or manage changes resulting from anthropogenic pressures. In 2020 I moved to the United States to work as the Executive Director of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research. Here I facilitated international ocean science that addresses global issues requiring a multidisciplinary approach.

Over more than 30 years, my focus has been to address education, scientific, technological, capacity development, and sustainability challenges in biological oceanography and marine biodiversity with international groups. I have helped establish and coordinate regional and international science networks and implement multi-national, global scale research programs in ocean sciences and marine biodiversity. My work is especially focused on implementing global sustained observations of essential ocean variables, to help mitigate or manage changes resulting from anthropogenic pressures.

Since August 2023 I have led the East Antarctic Monitoring Program at the Australian Antarctic Division. This program is focused on delivering the data needed to underpin all aspects of Antarctic and Southern Ocean research, modelling and forecasting and to support protection, conservation and management of these ecosystems.

Current projects

Australian Antarctic Science projects

  • RSV Nuyina Underway Scientific Monitoring (in preparation)
Key outcome areas
Collaborations and representations
Publications

Research papers

Miloslavich, P., Bax, N. J., Simmons, S. E., Klein, E., Appeltans, W., Aburto-Oropeza, O., et al. (2018). Essential ocean variables for global sustained observations of biodiversity and ecosystem changes. Global Change Biology 24, 2416–2433. doi:10.1111/gcb.14108.

Rogers, A. D., Appeltans, W., Assis, J., Ballance, L. T., Cury, P., Duarte, C., … Miloslavich, P., et al. (2023). “Discovering marine biodiversity in the 21st century,” in Advances in Marine Biology (Elsevier), 23–115. doi: 10.1016/bs.amb.2022.09.002.

Díaz, S., Settele, J., Brondízio, E. S., Ngo, H. T., Agard, J., Arneth, A., … Miloslavich, P., et al. (2019). Pervasive human-driven decline of life on Earth points to the need for transformative change. Science 366, eaax3100. doi:10.1126/science.aax3100.

Satterthwaite EV, Bax NJ, Miloslavich P, Ratnarajah L, Canonico G, Dunn D, Simmons SE, et al. (2021). Establishing the Foundation for the Global Observing System for Marine Life. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:737416. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.737416

Newman, L., Heil, P., Trebilco, R., Katsumata, K., Constable, A., van Wijk, E., … Miloslavich, P., et al. (2019). Delivering Sustained, Coordinated, and Integrated Observations of the Southern Ocean for Global Impact. Frontiers in Marine Science 6. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00433.

Estes, M., Anderson, C., Appeltans, W., Bax, N., Bednaršek, N., Canonico, G., … Miloslavich, P., et al. (2021). Enhanced monitoring of life in the sea is a critical component of conservation management and sustainable economic growth. Marine Policy 132, 104699. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104699.

Martín, A., P. Miloslavich, Y. Díaz, I. Ortega, E. Klein, J. Troncoso, C. Aldea, A. K. Carbonini. 2015. Intertidal Benthic Communities Associated to the Macroalgae Iridaea cordata and Adenocystis utricularis in King George Island, Antarctica. Polar Biology, DOI 10.1007/s00300-015-1773-1.

Book chapters

Bridges, A. E.H. Howell, K., Amaro, T., Atkinson, L., Barnes, D … Miloslavich, P … (2023). Review of the Central and South Atlantic Shelf and Deep-Sea Benthos: Science, Policy, and Management. In: SJ Hawkins et al. (Eds.). Oceanography and Marine Biology: An annual review, 61: 127-218.

Miloslavich, P., R. Zitoun, E. R. Urban Jr., F. Muller-Karger, N. Bax, B. K. Arbic, A. Lara-López, C. Delgado, M. Metian, S. Seeyave, P. Swarzenski, J. Uku, and A. Valauri-Orton (2022). Developing Capacity for Ocean Science and Technology. In: Venugopalan, I. and E. R. Urban Jr (Eds), Blue Economy – An Ocean Science Perspective. Springer.

Rogers, A., P. Miloslavich, D. Obura, O. Aburto-Oropeza (2023). Marine Invertebrates. In: MacLean, N. (Ed.). The Living Planet: The State of the World's Wildlife. Cambridge University Press & Assessment, p. 249-269.

Beja, J., Vandepitte, L., Benson, A., Van de Putte, A., Lear, D., De Pooter, D., … Miloslavich,P., et al. (2022). “Data services in ocean science with a focus on the biology,” in Ocean Science Data (Elsevier), 67–129. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-823427-3.00006-2.

Janssen A.R., Badhe R., Bransome N.C., Bricher P., Cavanagh R., de Bruin T., … Miloslavich P., et al. (2022). Southern Ocean Action Plan (2021-2030) in support of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. 69pp. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.6412191. https://www.sodecade.org/action-plan/southern-ocean-action-plan/

See more of Dr Miloslavich’s publications on:

Awards
  • 2021. Appointed Member for the Latin American Academy of Sciences.
  • 2015. Lorenzo Mendoza Fleury Science Award (Premio Polar – Venezuelan National Science Award), Venezuela.
  • 2011. International Cosmos Prize. Awarded to the Scientific Steering Committee of the Census of Marine Life, Japan.
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