Profile image of Prue Francis

Dr Prue Francis

STAFF PROFILE

Position

Senior Lecturer

Faculty

Faculty of Sci Eng & Built Env

Department

School of Life & Env Sciences

Campus

Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus

Contact

prue.francis@deakin.edu.au
+61 3 556 33026

Biography

Prue is a Senior Lecturer in Marine Science and Professional Practice in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Course Director of the Bachelor of Marine Science at Deakin University.  

My marine education background and expertise translates into my research interest focusing on the extent to which ocean literacy is being taught in schools across Australia and exploring innovative methods to promote ocean literacy through research, education and engagement. I actively promote ocean literacy through regular appearances on radio and I have recently co-authored a children’s book called The Great Southern Reef (by Paul Venzo, Prue Francis; illustrated by Cate James). I also have a research interest in the growing seaweed industry in Australia, where I am utilising the state-of-the-art flow-through seawater aquarium systems at Deakin’s Queenscliff Marine Science Centre to explore optimisation of cultivation techniques for local seaweed species for farming and restoration purposes.

Read more on Prue's profile

Career highlights

2023/24 STA's Superstar of STEM 

2022 School of Life and Environmental Sciences Award for Community Partnerships

2022 School of Life and Environmental Sciences Award for Empowering learners for jobs, and skills (co-recipient with Sharon La Fontaine and Anthony Rendall)

2022 School of Life and Environmental Sciences Commendation for Communication / Community engagement

2021 Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy

2020 Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment Teaching and Learning Award

2017 School of Life and Environmental Sciences Teaching Award for Excellence in Learning

2016 School of Life and Environmental Sciences Teaching Award for Excellence in Learning

Research interests

Improving ocean literacy in education

Seaweed cultivation techniques

Enhancing employability outcomes in Higher Education

Affiliations

Centre for Marine Science, Deakin Marine

Units taught

Current

SLE107 Marine Environments 

SLE301 Professional Practice 

Knowledge areas

Ocean literacy

Marine education

STEM education

Employability

Seaweed biology and ecology

Seaweed cultivation

Publications

Filter by

2022

Towards a 2025 National Ocean Literacy Strategy: Current Status and Future Needs in Primary Education

C Freitas, A Bellgrove, P Venzo, P Francis

(2022), Vol. 9, Frontiers in Marine Science, C1

journal article

The Great Southern Reef

Paul Venzo, Prue Francis

(2022), Clayton South, Vic., JO3

Non-Traditional Research Output
2021

Riding the COVID-19 wave: Online learning activities for a field based marine science unit

Prudence Francis

(2021), pp. 393-405, COVID-19 and Education: Learning and Teaching in a Pandemic-Constrained Environment, Santa Rosa, Calif., B1

book chapter

Reading over and under the waves: A study of ocean picture books for children

P Francis, P Venzo, A Bellgrove

(2021), Vol. 37, pp. 167-186, Australian Journal of Environmental Education, C1

journal article
2020

Educate to keep it great: The long-term successes of a virtual Great Barrier Reef education program

P Francis, J Spencer, C McGrogan

(2020), Vol. 3, Journal of STEM Outreach, Nashville, Tenn., C1

journal article

Stewards of Swan Bay: Curriculum diversity in place-based environmental science education

Julianne Lynch, Nicole Sadler, Prudence Francis, Ty Matthews, Julie Mondon, Alecia Bellgrove

(2020), pp. 1-10, AERA 2020 : The power and possibilities for the public good: When researchers and organizational stakeholders collaborate : Proceedings of the 2020 American Educational Research Association Meeting, Online from San Francisco, California, E1

conference
2017

Restoring rocky intertidal communities: lessons from a benthic macroalgal ecosystem engineer

A Bellgrove, P McKenzie, H Cameron, J Pocklington

(2017), Vol. 117, pp. 17-27, Marine pollution bulletin, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article
2010

Restoration of the habitat-forming fucoid alga Hormosira banksii at effluent-affected sites : competitive exclusion by coralline turfs

A Bellgrove, P McKenzie, J McKenzie, B Sfiligoj

(2010), Vol. 419, pp. 47-56, Marine ecology - progress series, Oldendorf, Germany, C1

journal article
2009

Dislodgment and attachment strength of the intertidal macroalga Hormosira banksii (Fucales, Phaeophyceae)

P McKenzie, A Bellgrove

(2009), Vol. 48, pp. 335-343, Phycologia, Lawrence, Kan., C1

journal article
2008

Dispersal of Hormosira banksii (phaeophyceae) via detached fragments : reproductive viability and longevity

P McKenzie, A Bellgrove

(2008), Vol. 44, pp. 1108-1115, Journal of phycology, New York, N.Y., C1

journal article
2006

No outbreeding depression at a regional scale for a habitat-forming intertidal alga with limited dispersal

P McKenzie, A Bellgrove

(2006), Vol. 57, pp. 655-663, Marine & freshwater research, Collingwood, Vic., C1

journal article

Funded Projects at Deakin

Other Public Sector Funding

Inspiring Young Marine Science Experts - Stewards of Swan Bay

Ms Nicole Sadler, Dr Alecia Bellgrove, A/Prof Julianne Lynch, Dr Ty Matthews, Dr Prue Francis, A/Prof Julie Mondon

DELWP Port Phillip Bay Fund

  • 2019: $13,356
  • 2018: $18,115

Learning from Communities: Indigenous uses of seaweeds in Australasia

Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Ms Zoe Ellen Brittain, Dr Prue Francis, Prof David Jones

Parks Victoria Grant - Research CAT2-1-2

  • 2022: $5,000
  • 2021: $5,000
  • 2020: $5,000

Restoring golden kelp forests on rocky reefs in Port Phillip Bay.

Dr Paul Carnell, Dr Prue Francis

Department of Environment Land Water and Planning

  • 2023: $159,980

Industry and Other Funding

DeakinSeaEd: marine education resources for children

Dr Prue Francis, Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Dr Paul Venzo

The Ray & Joyce Uebergang Foundation, Gwen & Edna Jones Foundation

  • 2019: $10,000

Student application - Raising awareness of the Australia's Great Southern Reef in primary schools using children's literature through a professional development program for teachers.

Dr Prue Francis, Miss Catia Jose Abreu De Freitas, Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Dr Paul Venzo

PADI Foundation Research Grants

  • 2021: $4,015

Developing a new Seaweed Aquaculture Industry in Gippsland.

Dr Paul Carnell, Dr Prue Francis, Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Prof Peter Macreadie, Dr Cecilia Biancacci, Dr Stacey Trevathan-Tackett

Food & Fibre Gippsland Inc

  • 2022: $80,050
  • 2021: $40,000

Onshore production of the red seaweed, Asparagopsis armata.

Dr Prue Francis, Dr Paul Carnell

Seascape Restorations Australia P/L t/as Immersion Group

  • 2022: $18,950

The role of environmental messaging on Australia's attitudes, intentions, and behavious towards cultivated seafood.

Dr Adam Cardilini, Dr Alexa Hayley, Dr Prue Francis

Cellular Agriculture Australia Ltd

  • 2022: $5,000

Supervisions

No completed student supervisions to report