Natalie Long

Natalie lives in Tasmania, where she is a PhD student at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Her research looks to Antarctic penguins to investigate the value and impact of science and the environment within Antarctica’s complex geopolitical landscape. She hopes to identify opportunities that will result in meaningful and positive outcomes for nature and wildlife within the current geopolitical climate. She also has a master’s degree in Marine and Antarctic Science, for which she studied the future of Adélie penguins amid increasing scientific and political uncertainty associated with climate change. Her academic work brings together her interests in Antarctic wildlife, conservation, science and policy.
Originally from the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia, Natalie gained her first experiences in conservation by volunteering with wildlife rehabilitation and release projects involving pandas, sloths, Asian elephants, African penguins, capuchin monkeys and a range of seabirds. Since then, she has worked in roles with conservation organizations including Orangutan Alliance and WWF-Australia. These experiences have taken her from hands-on wildlife conservation to broader questions surrounding the relationship between people, policy and the environment.
Currently, Natalie works in the mental health field and volunteers with her local ambulance service when she is at home. Her varied background reflects an ongoing interest in understanding complex environments and contributing to the communities and ecosystems connected to them.