Based out of the University of the Sunshine Coast, Kathy’s research focuses on conservation and human impacts on the marine environment. Her research programs draw their strength from a multidisciplinary approach and focus on global scale issues such as the impacts of marine debris, marine pollution, and climate change. Her collaborative research programs have directly contributed to legislative change at the state, federal, and international level, including single use plastic reduction and updating the conservation status of marine vertebrate species. Dr Townsend is the lead academic for "Project Manta" and "Turtles in Trouble" and is an invited member of the United Nations Marine Litter and Plastic Reduction Program, GCT’s Plastic Free Galapagos, and CSIRO’s Marine Debris Research Team. She has been fortunate to live and work on marine research stations (Heron and Moreton Bay Research Stations) for over 20 years and brings a broad knowledge of tropical and semitropical ecosystems. She is an expert in community outreach, traditional owner, and citizen science engagement. She has a strong media presence, and her research has been featured in multiple international documentaries, including the BBC’s Sir David Attenborough’s “Great Barrier Reef” and the Eureka prize winning - Nat Geo Wild’s “Manta Mystery”.