San Francisco and Sydney, Australia are both beautiful “cities by the Bay” and gateways to the Pacific Ocean. What do we have in common when it comes to supporting, protecting, and educating on the marine mammals and wildlife who live and frequent the Bay and surrounding waters? Please join us as we hear from marine scientist, Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a fierce advocate for the marine world and cetaceans. In getting to know her work, there is a lot we can learn to be more effective stewards locally, for the cetaceans and marine world we love.

This free event is open to the public. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. A suggested donation of $10 per participant is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Donations help cover webinar costs and support our education and cetacean research grant programs. To donate, please visit our website https://www.acs-sfbay.org/donate. We are grateful for your support!

Bio

Dr. Vanessa Pirotta is one of Australia’s most recognized wildlife scientists and a leading voice in science communication. Known for blending cutting-edge technology with conservation, her work spans both marine (whales) and terrestrial (illegal wildlife traffic detection) environments—bringing the natural world closer through innovation and storytelling. Vanessa received her Ph.D in Marine Sciences from Macquarie University. An award-winning author (including Humpback Highway), Vanessa emphasizes education, story-telling, and community involvement. She runs Wild Sydney Harbour, a citizen science initiative exploring marine life in collaboration with the Gamay Rangers—local First Nations rangers—blending Indigenous Knowledge with scientific research to better understand marine mammals in Sydney’s blue backyard. Her international whale research program in the Kingdom of Tonga called the Tongan Whale Tourism Project, is designed to empower local communities to help ensure the longevity and sustainability of whale swim tourism.