Jade Farrugia
PhD
Supervisors: Dr Karen Filbee-Dexter, Prof Charitha Pattiaratchi, Dr Mirjam Van Der Mheen
I am a Senior Spatial Data Scientist and Marine Biogeochemist specialising in modelling continental-scale marine ecosystems. My PhD research quantifies coastal organic carbon export to the deep sea by fusing multi-sensor satellite Earth Observation with autonomous robotics (IMOS gliders and the global BGC-Argo network). I use advanced spatial Python pipelines and high-performance computing to bridge the gap between surface production and deep-ocean sequestration. I also teach GIS, remote sensing, and Python as an academic tutor at The University of Queensland, and I am the Founder and CEO of the environmental non-profit The Oceans Need Us.
Qualifications
2026: Master of Geographical Information Science, The University of Queensland
Thesis title: Coral Reef Change Detection for Lady Elliot, Great Barrier Reef: A Review of Multi-Scale Earth Observation: drone, PlanetScope, and Sentinel-2.
2024: Bachelor of Science (Marine Sciences), Southern Cross University
Peer Reviewed Publications
Farrugia, J. (2026). Multi-sensor geospatial modelling to address complex mangrove dieback: misattribution of chemical stressors versus physical impact. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 198(8), 816
Other Publications
Farrugia, J. (2021). Seagrass Sentinel: Technical Methodology. Technical report prepared for The Oceans Need Us.
Farrugia, J., & Geospatial, F. Automating Post-Flood Impact Assessments: A Catchment-to-Coast Spatial Approach for Moreton Bay.
Farrugia, J., & Geospatial, F. Integrated Catchment Governance: A Strategic Advisory Framework for the Clarence River.
Achievements & Awards
2026: Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, The University of Western Australia
2026: University Postgraduate Award (UPA), The University of Western Australia