Profiles

Sarah Ugalde

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Sarah Ugalde

Junior Research Fellow (Shellfish Aquaculture)

IMAS Taroona , Off-Campus

+61 3 6226 1750 (phone)

Sarah.Ugalde@utas.edu.au

Dr Sarah Ugalde is a dynamic generalist representative of the next generation of scientists, being trained in forestry, Antarctic, and marine sciences. Her research supports interdisciplinary and international projects and experiences, with particular focus on where science meets industry, communication and training, and policy. As part of her appointments with the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, she has tackled two of the most recent and biggest challenges facing the Tasmanian shellfish industry – paralytic shellfish toxins produced by harmful algal blooms and the Pacific Oyster Mortality syndrome (POMS) virus, which both have the potential to devastate the shellfish industry. Her research focused on farm management strategies, environmental change, application and training of new and innovative technologies and approaches, and product regulation. Sarah has built and maintained a bridge between science and industry, directly interacting with shellfish growers, representatives and regulators by co-ordinating, performing joint research and data collection, and providing information and training workshops. Sarah’s interaction with industry led to her election as the first woman to hold a position as a Director for Oysters Tasmania, as well as multiple other boards, committees, and executive positions.

Biography

  • Research Fellow (Shellfish Aquaculture), IMAS, 2016 - present
  • Research Assistant (Algal Culturing Manager), IMAS, 2013 – 2017
  • Lecturer, Ocean University of China and Central China Normal University, 2016
  • Technical Officer, IMAS, 2014
  • Team Leader (Ningaloo Reef Turtle Program), Department of Environment and Conservation, 2010 2011
  • Research Assistant / Laboratory Technician, Forestry CRC, 2007 – 2009
  • Field Research Technician (Arboreal Marsupials and Habitat Fragmentation), Australian National University, 2005 - 2007

Career summary

Qualifications

PhD

Antarctic sea ice algae: Primary production and carbon allocation

University of Tasmania

Australia

2015

GradDip(1st Class Hons)

Investigating the effects of abiotic stress in Eucalyptus globulus susceptibility to biotic damaging agents - studies of leaf anatomy and chemistry

University of Tasmania

Australia

2007

Memberships

Professional practice

  • Oysters Tasmania, 2017 – present
  • Australian Marine Science Association (Tasmania), 2016 – present
  • Science and Technology Australia, 2016 – present
  • Golden Key International Honours Society, 2017 - present
  • Association for Polar Early Careers Scientists, Oceania Chapter, 2012 – present
  • Bottom of the Earth Society, 2010 - present

Administrative expertise

  • Document management, review, and editing
  • Event and project co-ordination / management
  • Public speaking and networking
  • Meeting planning, scheduling, and reporting
  • Supervising and teamwork
  • Problem solving and self-motivation
  • Data management and work processing

Teaching

Aquatic botany; Microalgae; Algal toxins; Harmful algal blooms; Antarctica; Sea ice; Marine biology; Leadership and career development; Academic culture; Bioinformatics; Speaking English

Teaching expertise

  • Student supervision, training, and mentoring
  • Postgraduate lecturer and unit design (Advanced Phytoplankton Methods)
  • Undergraduate guest lecturer (Introduction to Antarctic Studies and Aquatic Botany)
  • Undergraduate practical demonstrator (Aquatic Botany)
  • Overseas lecturing

View more on Ms Sarah Ugalde in WARP

Expertise

  • Seafood science and technology
  • Aquatic microbiology
  • Marine toxins
  • Community structure
  • Marine ecology and biodiversity
  • Antarctica and sea ice ecology
  • Shellfish physiology

Collaboration

Dr. Sarah Ugalde works closely with multiple national and international collaborators on various projects, mostly relating to seafood safety and aquaculture, and has co-ordinated projects across Belgium, China, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and United Kingdom, and the United States.  She also works on national policy projects requiring strong government and industry collaborations and networks.

Current projects

  • Advanced understanding of Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS) to guide farm management decisions in Tasmania (CRC-P)
  • Restoration of native oyster reefs in Tasmania (CRC-P)
  • Improved understanding of Tasmanian harmful algal blooms and biotoxin events to support seafood risk management (FRDC)
  • Validation of rapid test kits for the identification of paralytic shellfish toxins in bivalve molluscs (PASE)
  • Improved market access for oysters through implementation of rapid screening tools for biotoxins (PASE)

Fields of Research

  • Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) (310305)
  • Fisheries sciences (300599)
  • Aquaculture (300501)

Research Objectives

  • Fisheries - aquaculture (100299)
  • Control of pests, diseases and exotic species in marine environments (180503)
  • Aquaculture oysters (100204)

Publications

Turnbull AR, Tan JYC, Ugalde SC, 4 others (2017). Single-Laboratory Validation of the Neogen™ Qualitative Lateral Flow Immunoassay for the Detection of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Mussels and Oysters. J. AOAC Int. In Press.

Dorantes-Aranda JJ, Tan JYC, Hallegraeff GM, Campbell K, Ugalde SC, 18 others (2017). Detection of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Mussels and Oysters using the Qualitative Neogen™ Lateral Flow Immunoassay: Collaborative Study. J. AOAC Int. In Press.

Dorantes-Aranda JJ, Campbell K, Bradbury A, Elliott CT, Harwood T, Murray SA, Ugalde SC,3 others (2017). Comparative performance of four immunological test kits for the detection of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Tasmanian shellfish. Toxicon. 125:110-119.

McMinn A, Muller MN, Martin A, Ugalde SC, Lee S, Ryan KG (2017). Effects of changing pH and CO2 concentration on a late summer surface sea ice community. ICES Journal of Marine Science. In press

Ugalde SC, Westwood KJ, van den Enden R, McMinn A, Meiners KM (2016). Physico-biogeochemistry and primary productivity of East Antarctic pack ice. Deep Sea Research II. 131:123-139.

Ugalde SC, Martin A, Meiners KM, McMinn A, Ryan KG (2014). Extracellular organic carbon dynamics during a bottom ice algal bloom (Antarctica). Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 73(3):195 - 210.

Ugalde SC, Meiners KM, Davidson AT, Westwood KJ, McMinn A (2013). Photosynthetic carbon allocation of an Antarctic sea ice diatom (Fragilariopsis cylindrus). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 446:228-235.

Total publications

11

Journal Article

(8 outputs)
YearCitationAltmetrics
2018Dorantes Aranda JJ, Tan JYC, Hallegraeff GM, Campbell K, Ugalde SC, et al., 'Detection of paralytic shellfish toxins in mussels and oysters using the qualitative neogen lateral-flow immunoassay: an interlaboratory study', Journal of AOAC International, 101, (2) Article 170221. ISSN 1060-3271 (2018) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.5740/jaoacint.17-0221 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 4Web of Science - 5

Co-authors: Dorantes Aranda JJ; Hallegraeff GM; Turnbull AR

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2018Turnbull AR, Tan JYC, Ugalde SC, Hallegraeff GM, Campbell K, et al., 'Single-laboratory validation of the neogen qualitative lateral flow immunoassay for the detection of paralytic shellfish toxins in mussels and oysters', Journal of AOAC International, 101, (2) Article 170135. ISSN 1060-3271 (2018) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.5740/jaoacint.17-0135 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 6Web of Science - 4

Co-authors: Turnbull AR; Hallegraeff GM; Dorantes Aranda JJ

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2018Ugalde SC, Preston J, Ogier E, Crawford C, 'Analysis of farm management strategies following herpesvirus (OsHV-1) disease outbreaks in Pacific oysters in Tasmania, Australia', Aquaculture, 495 pp. 179-186. ISSN 0044-8486 (2018) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.05.019 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 12Web of Science - 14

Co-authors: Ogier E; Crawford C

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2017Dorantes Aranda JJ, Campbell K, Bradbury A, Elliott CT, Harwood DT, et al., 'Comparative performance of four immunological test kits for the detection of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Tasmanian shellfish', Toxicon, 125 pp. 110-119. ISSN 0041-0101 (2017) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.11.262 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 13Web of Science - 12

Co-authors: Dorantes Aranda JJ; Hallegraeff GM

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2017McMinn A, Muller MN, Martin A, Ugalde SC, Lee S, et al., 'Effects of CO2 concentration on a late summer surface sea ice community', Marine Biology, 164, (4) Article 87. ISSN 0025-3162 (2017) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.1007/s00227-017-3102-4 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 7Web of Science - 7

Co-authors: McMinn A; Muller MN; Martin A; Lee S; Castrisios K

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2016Ugalde SC, Westwood KJ, van den Enden R, McMinn A, Meiners KM, 'Characteristics and primary productivity of East Antarctic pack ice during the winter-spring transition', Deep-Sea Research II, 131 pp. 123-139. ISSN 0967-0645 (2016) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.12.013 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 13Web of Science - 14

Co-authors: McMinn A; Meiners KM

Tweet

2014Ugalde SC, Martin A, Meiners K, McMinn A, Ryan KG, 'Extracellular organic carbon dynamics during a bottom-ice algal bloom (Antarctica)', Aquatic Microbial Ecology, 73, (3) pp. 195-210. ISSN 0948-3055 (2014) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.3354/ame01717 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 2Web of Science - 2

Co-authors: Martin A; Meiners K; McMinn A

Tweet

2013Ugalde SC, Meiners K, Davidson A, Westwood KJ, McMinn A, 'Photosynthetic carbon allocation of an Antarctic sea ice diatom (Fragilariopsis cylindrus)', Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 446 pp. 228-235. ISSN 0022-0981 (2013) [Refereed Article]

DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2013.05.022 [eCite] [Details]

Citations: Scopus - 4Web of Science - 3

Co-authors: Meiners K; Davidson A; Westwood KJ; McMinn A

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Conference Publication

(1 outputs)
YearCitationAltmetrics
2017Hallegraeff G, Bolch C, Condie S, Dorantes Aranda JJ, Murray S, et al., 'Unprecedented Alexandrium blooms in a previously low biotoxin risk area of Tasmania, Australia', Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Harmful Algae 2016, 09-14 October 2016, Florianopolis, Brazil, pp. 38-41. ISBN 9788799082766 (2017) [Refereed Conference Paper]

[eCite] [Details]

Co-authors: Hallegraeff G; Bolch C; Dorantes Aranda JJ; Turnbull A

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Other Public Output

(2 outputs)
YearCitationAltmetrics
2018Turnbull A, Dorantes-Aranda JJ, Malhi N, Jolley J, Seger A, et al., 'Proficiency testing of growers using the Neogen rapid Paralytic Shellfish Toxin test kits', South Australian Research and Development Institute; PIRSA, South Australia, June (2018) [Government or Industry Research]

[eCite] [Details]

Co-authors: Turnbull A; Dorantes-Aranda JJ; Seger A

2017Hallegraeff G, Bolch C, Bradbury A, Campbell K, Condie SA, et al., 'Improved understanding of Tasmanian harmful algal blooms and biotoxin events to support seafood risk management', Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, 2014/032, pp. 1-132. (2017) [Government or Industry Research]

[eCite] [Details]

Co-authors: Hallegraeff G; Bolch C; Dorantes J; Turnbull A

Grants & Funding

Funding Summary

Number of grants

4

Total funding

$952,273

Projects

Contextualising shellfish food safety in Northern Australia (2021 - 2022)$147,000
Description
There is an emerging edible oyster industry in Northern Australia. The development of this industry involves Aboriginal communities, industry and governments working towards improvements in productions systems, biosecurity and capacity development. Initial volumes produced by this developing industry are likely to be small scale, targeting local markets, however there is significant potential to expand overtime to service the broader Australian and international marketsObjectives:1Perform an assessment of food safety concerns and associated risks in tropical Australia2Provide recommendations on appropriate harvest area classification systems (based on water and/or meat results) and monitoring and risk management protocols for oyster farming in tropical Australian environmental and remote contexts3Develop models for shellfish food safety programs in tropical Australian conditions
Funding
Fisheries Research & Development Corporation ($147,000)
Scheme
Grant-Annual Open Call Round
Administered By
University of Tasmania
Research Team
Ugalde SC; Turnbull AR; Baker P; Osborne M; McCoubrey DJ
Period
2021 - 2022
Seafarms Vibrio report (2020)$6,706
Description
1. Review the microbiological results associated with V. cholerae detections in raw prawns in May and June 2020 and environmental samples in July 2020. Provide a report of the incident in the context of Australian and international food safety risk management.2. Provide recommendations for future risk management activities to strengthen the current successful food safety management at Seafarms, with a focus on SeaFarms product quality expectations for positive product release.
Funding
Seafarms Group Ltd Australia ($6,706)
Scheme
Consultancy
Administered By
University of Tasmania
Research Team
Turnbull AR; Ugalde SC
Year
2020
Blue economy: Valuing the carbon sequestration potential in oyster aquaculture (2020)$198,567
Description
Bivalve aquaculture has proven highly successful in Vietnam. Species are easy to farm and require low-level skills, training, and technology to produce healthy and conditioned animals that are nutrient-packed and ready for the local markets and tourists. Previous ACIAR investment in Vietnam has supported the establishment and rapid growth of the edible oyster industry, which is now thriving, and demonstrates just how important this industry now is as a reliable and nutrient-packed food source.Marine bivalves are molluscs that have two outer shells (valves) such as mussels, clams and oysters. These sequester carbon in their shells as calcium carbonate and may be used to mitigate the effects of climate change. Although the role of bivalves in the carbon cycle has attracted interest, the carbon footprint remains unclear. There exists an opportunity to rapidly advance and sophisticate oyster aquaculture in Vietnam by exploring the full economic potential that has environmental, social, and sustainability benefits. This SRA proposes to examine the role of Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata) aquaculture in the carbon cycle and rates of carbon sequestration in northern Vietnam (RIA1). By doing so, the potential value for oyster carbon farming and contribution to carbon off-set schemes can be fully evaluated. In addition, this SRA will work closely with communities and local businesses to evaluate the current and potential supply chain and build capacity around product development that utilises residual carbon-trapping oyster shells and other value-adding by-products. This proposal will be tailored to capture the unexplored socio-economic gains that are beneficial for rural and regional communities of Vietnam, and the cultural significance of this valuable marine industry.
Funding
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research ($198,567)
Scheme
Grant-Research and Development
Administered By
University of Tasmania
Research Team
Ugalde SC
Year
2020
Improved understanding of Tasmanian harmful algal blooms and biotoxin events to support seafood risk management (2014 - 2017)$600,000
Description
The project outputs are focused on ensuring implementation and adoption of state-of-the-art rapid toxin/species detection for PST toxins in Australian seafood.
Funding
Fisheries Research & Development Corporation ($600,000)
Scheme
Grant-Annual Open Call Round
Administered By
University of Tasmania
Research Team
Hallegraeff GM; Bolch CJS; Campbell K; Condie S; Harwood T; Murray S; Turnbull A; Ugalde SC
Period
2014 - 2017