Stephanie Avery-Gomm is an applied ecologist, interested in using decision science to achieve optimal outcomes for conservation. Stephanie's current research examines the efficacy of endangered species legislation and develops decision support tools to improve endangered species recovery. Stephanie is also an active member of the seabird research community. Her seabird-related work focuses on identifying the drivers of historical seabird population decline at a global scale, and how this knowledge can help to prioritize seabird conservation efforts. She is also involved in research that seeks to understand the emerging impacts of plastic ingestion on seabirds. By partnering with government agencies and NGOs in the USA, Australia and Canada, Stephanie ensures that her research is relevant to policy makers and on-the-ground conservation efforts. Stephanie commenced her PhD at the University of Queensland in October 2015, supervised by Professors Hugh Possingham and Richard Fuller. Prior to moving to Australia, Stephanie worked as an environmental assessment biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and as a seabird research biologist with Environment Canada. In 2013, she earned her MSc from the University of British Columbia where she worked with Professor John Richardson and Dr. Jordan Rosenfeld.