Matilde Chiodi Brisinello – Youth Advisory Council Member 2025-2026
About This Event
Matilde (she/her) is an early-career marine biologist and aspiring elasmobranch scientist representing Qatar on the Youth Advisory Council. Though Italian by heritage, she grew up in Qatar and aims to advocate for the protection of Qatar’s overlooked but incredibly unique marine ecosystems, including its critical whale shark populations, and to amplify conservation initiatives across the region. She recently completed her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at James Cook University in Australia and is now building her career combining hands-on fieldwork, conservation, and science communication.
Matilde’s journey into marine science began early. Learning to scuba dive at the age of 12 gave her early exposure to the underwater environment and encouraged her rapidly growing interest in marine biology. Over the years, this curiosity evolved into a commitment to understanding and protecting ocean ecosystems, guiding her to pursue diverse field experiences across multiple regions and species.
Her recent three-month internship with the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme under Manta Trust was a defining moment in her path in marine science, a dream she had worked toward for years and a personal goal she had set for herself. It inspired her to pursue further opportunities and step out of her comfort zone to grow as a scientist and advocate. Matilde contributed to manta ray conservation through photo-identification, environmental data collection, and remote video analysis, while also creating educational content and guiding guests in Hanifaru Bay, the world’s biggest manta ray aggregation site. The experience strengthened her understanding of how science, education, and community engagement can work together to support marine conservation.
Matilde’s fieldwork extends beyond manta rays. She has assisted in stingray tagging and drone surveys, volunteered at James Cook University’s Turtle Health Research Centre in Australia, and contributed to coral restoration and husbandry projects in Qatar. She also completed a field internship with Sharks and Rays Australia, supporting sawfish conservation in collaboration with Indigenous rangers. These experiences have honed her skills in species monitoring, data management, and underwater research, while teaching her the importance of collaboration between scientists, communities, and conservation organizations.
Currently, Matilde works at Qatar University as a Research Assistant and as a diver for coral restoration projects. Alongside research, she is passionate about science communication and sharing knowledge about marine life to inspire awareness and care for ocean ecosystems. This is exactly why she joined the Youth Advisory Council: to put her passion for marine conservation and advocacy into action, share a perspective shaped by growing up in Qatar and her international fieldwork, and inspire others to value and protect the underrepresented but incredibly unique marine ecosystems of the Middle East and Arabian Gulf.