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 profileCareer 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
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
Adopting Ocean-Themed Picture Books to Promote Ocean Literacy in Primary Education
Cátia Freitas, Prue Francis, Alecia Bellgrove, Paul Venzo
(2023), pp. 1-16, Children's Literature in Education, Berlin, Germany, C1
Fostering ocean literacy through informal marine education programs
Madi O'Brien, Cátia Freitas, Paul Venzo, Prue Francis
(2023), Vol. 193, pp. 115208-115208, Marine Pollution Bulletin, England, C1
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
Whose eggs are these? Gender in ocean-themed picture books
Paul Venzo, Lara Hedberg, Prue Francis
(2021), Vol. 4, pp. 115-133, Journal of Science & Popular Culture, 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
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
Kelping the Bay: future proofing the Golden Kelp
Dr Prue Francis, A/Prof Adam Miller, A/Prof Craig Sherman, Dr Paul Carnell, Jacqui Pocklington, Dr Mary Young, Miss Jasmine Bursic
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Port Philip Bay Fund 90 719 052 204
- 2023: $90,721
Improving Ocean Literacy in Port Phillip Bay Primary Schools
Dr Prue Francis, Dr Paul Venzo, A/Prof Craig Sherman, Miss Catia Abreu De Freitas
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Port Philip Bay Fund 90 719 052 204
- 2023: $89,265
STUDENT APPLPICATION -Empowering Wathaurong Women?s Seaweed Knowledge
Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Ms Zoe Ellen Brittain, Dr Prue Francis
DEECA - Coastcare Victoria Community Grants - 90 719 052 204
- 2023: $9,700
Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op & Deakin University: Building Capacity for Engagement in Seaweed Management on Country
Dr Alecia Bellgrove, Dr Prue Francis, Ms Zoe Ellen Brittain
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Port Philip Bay Fund 90 719 052 204
- 2023: $49,000
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
- 2023: $18,950
- 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