Allison Paley

Dr Allison Paley is marine scientist with expertise in coral biology and physiology, speciailising in understanding parameters of coral holobiont health. She has particular interest in how corals interact with a changing environment including human mediated environmental disturbances such as marine heat waves and marine debris resulting in microplastics ingestion by sessile invertebrates. She is a part of the Ecophysiology Laboratory at James Cook University which explores how large and small scale processes influence the fitness of sessile marine invertebrates and their associated flora and fauna.  

Dr Paley is the International Program Coordinator for the partnership program between JCU and Southwest University (SWU) in Chongqing, China. She also Coordinates the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Marine Science (ATSIMS) Program, a marine science outreach program for First Nations secondary and tertiary students based at JCU’s Bebegu Yumba (Townsville) campus. Allison developed the curriculum for the Classroom on the Reef (COTR) education program at JCU's Orpheus Island (Goolboddi) Research Station, and has more than 10 years experience co-supervising undergraduate and graduate student research projects in the field and laboratory and leading experiential, field-based marine education programs.