Rate My Professor Daniel Ierodiaconou

Daniel Ierodiaconou is Professor in Marine Science at Deakin University, affiliated with the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre at the Warrnambool Campus. He earned his PhD in Aquatic Sciences from Deakin University in 2005. As a marine ecologist, he leads the Deakin Marine Mapping Group, utilizing multidisciplinary methods including multibeam sonar, acoustically positioned towed video, remotely operated vehicles, baited remote underwater video systems, and drone fleets to map seafloor habitats, coastlines, rocky shores, and benthic communities across Victoria and beyond. His research addresses patterns and processes in coastal and marine ecosystems, evaluation of marine reserves, and ecosystem-based management. Ierodiaconou serves as principal scientist for the Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program, Victorian node leader for the Integrated Marine Observing System, Board Director for the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority, and Coastal Lead Scientist for the Coastal Research Infrastructure Initiative. He actively supervises PhD students and teaches in marine science programs.

Ierodiaconou's contributions have been recognized with major awards, including the Deakin University Vice-Chancellor's Award for Industry Engagement in 2016, Seafood Industry Victoria Research Award in 2015, Tall Poppy Science Award in 2009, Eureka Prize for Environmental Research in 2020 for a citizen science coastal monitoring project, and Victoria Coastal Council Award in 2018. His scholarly output includes over 4,500 citations on Google Scholar, with an h-index of 49. Notable publications encompass 'Applications of unmanned aerial vehicles in intertidal reef surveys' (Scientific Reports, 2017), 'Machine learning to detect marine animals in UAV imagery' (Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 2021), 'Surficial sediment data along the shoreface and inner continental shelf of SE Australia' (Data in Brief, 2022), 'Design and application of coastal erosion indicators using UAV and structure-from-motion photogrammetry' (Ocean & Coastal Management, 2024), and 'Industry remotely operated vehicle imagery for assessing epibenthic assemblages' (Frontiers in Marine Science, 2023).