Débora De Freitas

Research Associate

 

ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (2008-2011)


 


Research Interests

Débora De Freitas is a research associate in GIS and Conservation Planning in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, based at James Cook University, Townsville. She works with Prof. Bob Pressey under the Program 6: Conservation planning for a sustainable future. Débora is originally from Brazil where she completed a BSc-honours (2000) and Masters-honours (2003) in Oceanography at the Federal University of Rio Grande, Brazil – with complementary studies in Marine Policy at the Center for the Study of Marine Policy, Delaware/U.S.A. She is concluding her PhD in Environment Studies at James Cook University. Her research interests focus on the use of geospatial technology (i.e. GIS) in systematic conservation planning, integrated coastal zone management, and stakeholders’ engagement in the management of natural resources.

From 2000-04 she was a trainee student in the laboratories of Coastal Management (Brazil) where she developed several academic projects and reports in environmental analysis, planning and management, GIS and remote sensing tools, fisheries ecology, aquaculture site selection, among others. She was also a researcher collaborator in the Estuaries and Coastal Areas Project: Basis and Tools for a more Sustainable Development (ECOSUD Project Brazil).  Debora also worked for 2 years as Supervisor of the Environment Department of the Rio Grande City Council (Southern Brazil) where, among other local activities, she was the Program Leader of the Shoreline Integrated Management Federal Program, working with ecological, social and economic aspects of integrated coastal management in Rio Grande (Southern Brazil).

Debora really enjoys team work, but also squash, cycling and just being with her husband and friends!

Member of

•           Open Forum on Participatory Geographic Information Systems and             Technologies (http://www.iapad.org/ppgis/)

•           The Society for Conservation GIS (www.scgis.org/)

•           Society for Conservation Biology (http://www.conbio.org/)

•           Ecological Society of Australia (http://www.ecolsoc.org.au/)

•           Spatial Science Institute of Queensland (SSI)
            (www.spatialsciences.org.au/)

•           Fisheries and Food Institute (www.fisheriesandfood.org/)

•           Far North GIS Users Group (www.fungis.org/)

 

 



Select Peer Reviewed Publications

De Freitas, D.M., Kininmonth, S., Woodley, S. 2008. Linking Science and Management in the Adoption of Sensor Network Technology in the Great Barrier Reef Coast, Australia, Computers, Environment and Urban Systems. (Accepted)

De Freitas, D.M., Tagliani, P.R. 2008. The use of GIS for the integration of Traditional and Scientific Knowledge in supporting Artisanal Fisheries Management in southern Brazil, 2008, Journal of Environmental Management, 1:10. (In Press)

De Freitas, D.M., Tagliani, P.R. 2007. Spatial planning of shrimp farming in the Patos Lagoon Estuary (southern Brazil): an integrated coastal management approach, 2007, Journal of Coastal Research, 47: 136–140.

Tagliani, P.R. De Freitas, D.M., Domingues, M. 2007. Conflicting Uses in Mangueira Bay: A Prospective Analysis. Journal of Coastal Research, 47: 141-144.

De Freitas, D.M., Muelbert, J.H. 2004. Ichthyoplankton Distribution and Abundance off Southeastern and Southern Brazil between 11/15 and 12/05/1995. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 47(4): 601-612.

Fellowships and Grants

2006-08  James Cook University Research Scholarship. 

2006-07 Travel Grant from CoatGIS to attend the CoatsGIS’07 (SpainGIS for the Coastal Zone: Spatial Data, Modelling and Management. Santander, Spain.

2003    National Coordination for the Improvement of Graduate People (CAPES, Brazil) / the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE/US)

2002    Travel Grant from the De La Republica University and American States Organization to attend the International Course in Satellite Observation of Coastal Environments: Basic Concepts and Applications. Ciências De La Republica Faculty, Montevideo, Uruguay.

2001-03 National Coordination for the Improvement of Graduate People (CAPES), (M.Sc. Project).

2001 Travel Grant from Concepción University (Postgraduate Oceanography Program) and UNESCO to attend the International Course in Advanced Topics in Coastal Zone Management, Concepción University, Chile.

2000  National Council for Technologic and Scientific Development (CNPq). (Brazilian Long Term Ecological Research (PELD), Patos Lagoon Estuary and Adjacent Coast (ECOLAP).

2000 Travel Grant from the Coastal Zone Canada 2000 Conference, St. John, Canada, to attend and present a paper at the conference.

1998-99 National Council for Technologic and Scientific Development (CNPq). (B.Sc. Project).

1995-97 Research Support Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul State (FAPERGS) (B.Sc. Project).