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.
A passionate educator, Prue has over 15 years' experience as a STEM educator, having taught a host of units across all learning levels and at multiple educational institutions across Australia. Notably, and before joining Deakin, Prue was the Education Coordinator at Reef HQ Aquarium; the national education centre for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Prue's marine education background and expertise translates into her research interest that focuses 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 outreach. Prue actively promotes ocean literacy through regular appearances on radio and has recently co-authored a children's book called The Great Southern Reef (by Paul Venzo, Prue Francis; illustrated by Cate James).
Prue also has a research interest in the growing seaweed industry in Australia, where she is exploring optimisation of cultivation techniques for local seaweed species.
Read more on Prue's profileCareer highlights
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
Deakin Marine, Centre for Marine, Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences
Units taught
Current
SLE107 Marine Environments
SLE301 Professional Practice
SLE390 Professional Practice in Bioscience
Past
SLE108 Ocean Processes
SLE265 Marine Botany
SLE244 Marine Ecology
SLE345 Oceanography
Knowledge areas
Ocean literacy
Marine education
STEM education
Employability
Seaweed biology and ecology
Seaweed cultivation
Media appearances
Promoting ocean literacy in Australia:
2022 RRR Radio, Radio Marinara
2022 RRR Radio, Radio Marinara
2021 RRR Radio, Radio Marinara
2021 RRR Radio, Radio Marinara
Raising the awareness of the Great Southern Reef media:
2021 Great Victorian Fish Count Celebration Night 2021
2020 Australia's forgotten other "Great Reef"
2020 Scientists push to raise awareness of Great Southern Reef
2020 Grass Roots: Australia's Second Great Reef
Seaweed aquaculture industry in Australia:
2022 Victoria's first seaweed farm aims to reduce livestock emissions
Publications
C Freitas, A Bellgrove, P Venzo, P Francis
(2022), Vol. 9, Frontiers in Marine Science, C1
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
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
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
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
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
A Bellgrove, P McKenzie, J McKenzie, B Sfiligoj
(2010), Vol. 419, pp. 47-56, Marine ecology - progress series, Oldendorf, Germany, C1
P McKenzie, A Bellgrove
(2009), Vol. 48, pp. 335-343, Phycologia, Lawrence, Kan., C1
P McKenzie, A Bellgrove
(2008), Vol. 44, pp. 1108-1115, Journal of phycology, New York, N.Y., C1
P McKenzie, A Bellgrove
(2006), Vol. 57, pp. 655-663, Marine & freshwater research, Collingwood, Vic., C1
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
Industry and Other Funding
DeakinSeaEd: marine education resources for children
Dr Prue Francis, Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Dr Paul Venzo
Gwen & Edna Jones Foundation, The Ray & Joyce Uebergang 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