Sarah Wells

Sarah began her PhD at WRL in 2025 as a part of Project Halophyte, a collaborative team with researchers from UNSW and the University of the South Pacific (USP). ‘Project Halo’ aims to pilot a novel nature-based solution involving mangrove restoration and nature-based mangrove solutions in Fiji, with the aim of restoring natural tidal flows to benefit local ecosystems and communities.

Mangroves are essential within coastal ecosystems, providing a nursery for many species in the marine environment. Furthermore, they are effective wave energy attenuators and are vital to prevent coastal erosion, the extent of which is set to increase with the effects of climate change.

Through her research, Sarah aims to investigate the links between hydrodynamics and ecosystem rehabilitation and conservation. The reintroduction of natural tidal flows will not only allow the redevelopment of inter-tidal ecosystems such as mangroves and marshes, but will have flow-on effects for surrounding ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass. Sarah’s research will highlight the ability of reinstated tidal ecosystems to protect vulnerable coastlines in the Pacific and the world, and the way in which this ability will be influenced by climate change factors such as sea level rise.

Sarah obtained a Bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Wollongong, then transferred to the University of Sydney to earn a Class I Honours in theoretical particle physics, focusing on a new dark matter candidate. Sarah also holds a Master’s degree in Renewable Energy in Marine Environments, funded by the European Union as a part of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree program. Through this program she studied the hydrodynamics of offshore renewable energy with MaREI at University College Cork, the University of the Basque Country, LHEEA at École Centrale Nantes, and MREL at the Technical University of Delft.

Supervisor: Professor William Glamore, opens in a new window