Researcher biography
Dr Danielle Smith is a former Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Centre and a UQ team member of the Blue Economy CRC. Her research focused on identifying international best practices in legal and policy frameworks to guide and regulate Australia’s emerging offshore wind energy industry.
Danielle has specialised expertise in international environmental legal institutions and regimes, marine protected areas - particularly biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction - marine spatial planning, environmental impact assessments, and the effects of anthropogenic and climatic impacts on offshore marine and coastal environments.
As a highly experienced international marine environmental consultant, Danielle brings extensive knowledge in ocean governance, having conducted thorough environmental impact assessments for major development projects. Her significant contributions to the offshore oil and gas industry, along with her transition into the rapidly growing offshore wind energy sector, have equipped her with a deep understanding of the regulatory framework's successes and challenges from both scientific and legal perspectives.