Steffan Howe did his PhD investigating the effect of temperature on coral from Port Phillip Bay. He then spent four years working with Eritrea’s Coastal, Marine and Island Biodiversity Conservation project in the Red Sea, after which he returned to Australia and worked for the Department for Environment and Heritage in South Australia as Marine Planning Liaison Officer and spent a short period as Acting Manager of the Great Australian Bight Marine Park. He was the Marine Science Manager at Parks Victoria for over ten years where he managed the research and monitoring programs for Victoria’s Marine Protected Areas. Over the last four years Steffan has helped develop a monitoring and management effectiveness system for the Australian Marine Parks (AMPs) and setting strategic directions for the AMP Science program.