Meet the team
Oceanic Research Institute explores the unknown to discover new knowledge about our oceans.
Core Team
Earle de Blonville, FRGS
Oceanic Research Institute Co-founder and Director
- Adjunct Professional Fellow
- Southern Cross University, NSW, Australia
- Leadership Consultant & Executive Coach
Award: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Award (Greenland Expedition)
Earle is co-founder of Oceanic Research Institute (ORI), responsible for the development of oceanic programs and international research partnerships. Earle is a veteran Arctic explorer, having led Australia’s first expedition to East Greenland in 1985-86, with the Prince of Wales as Patron. To watch the trailer of Savage Coast, Earle’s one-hour documentary of this expedition, click on the video link below.
Professor Jennifer M. Gidley, PhD
Oceanic Research Institute Director & Director of Research
- Adjunct Professor, Institute for Sustainable Futures
- UTS University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Award: Chancellor’s Gold Medal (Doctoral Research)
Jennifer co-founded the Oceanic Research Institute (ORI) driven by her growing concern about climate crisis, the plight of the oceans, and threats to small island nations and coastal cities from sea level rise. As Director of Research she is responsible for ORI’s long and short term research programs, and contributes significantly from her academic and leadership experience as a researcher in ‘sustainable futures’.
Susie Crick, B Ed, Dip. Graphic Design
Oceanic Research Institute Director
- Director of Surfrider Australia
- Al Gore-trained Climate Reality Leader
Susie is a Director of Surfrider Australia, and President of Surfrider South Coast. Surfrider was founded in the USA as a professional governing body for surfers. She is a Board Member of the Boomerang Alliance and CitizenBlue, an Ambassador for Wave Changer, member of Changing Streams CIC, and an Al Gore-trained Climate Reality Leader. She is a strong campaigner for cleaning up plastic waste in the Ocean and is the Founding Director of an Australian Early Childhood Learning Centre.
Women & Oceans
“No water. No Life. No Blue. No Green.” – Sylvia Earle, PhD, Oceanographer.
SDG 5 & 14