Dr Miles Lamare
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Marine Science, University of Otago.
Field: Marine invertebrates.
Dr Miles Lamare is a Lecturer in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago in Dunedin. He is part of 2 research groups working on fiord systems and larval ecology. His research focuses on marine invertebrates – his areas of interest are marine invertebrate biology, larval physiology and biology, Antarctic biology, photobiology and climate change – and his work has taken him all over the world, from the tropics to Antarctica.
Dr Miles Lamare
Dr Miles Lamare working in his office at Portobello Marine Laboratory. On the desk behind him, you can see the equipment he uses to read the electronic tags from his sea star research.
Miles has always been interested in animals and loves being in the outdoors. He gained a BSc (Hons) in botany and zoology at the University of Otago before completing his PhD in marine science there in 1997. From 1998–2000, Miles travelled to the USA to take up a position as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington.
Working as a marine scientist is a big adventure. You can look at the Discovery Channel and see people doing this sort of thing but you can do it yourself if you really want to.
Becoming a marine scientist
Dr Miles Lamare, from the University of Otago, has always been fascinated by biology. In this video, he talks about becoming a marine scientist and some of his experiences working in amazing places around the world, including Antarctica.
Since 2001, he has been working back at the University of Otago. Part of his role includes supervising postgraduate students working on projects along the Otago Coast and in Fiordland, Antarctica and the Pacific Islands.
Miles is able to combine 2 of his favourite interests – scuba diving and travel – with his work. He also really enjoys spending time with his children, gardening, tramping, history and hunting.
Miles Lamare became an Associate Professor in 2015. His current research looks at the influence of climate change (especially temperature and acidification) on the growth and survival of the developmental stages and larvae of marine invertebrates This work includes researching sea stars and sea urchins which are both key stone species.
This article is based on information current in 2009 and 2018.
Useful link
Miles is presently testing the effects of changes in ocean chemistry on the settlement of marine organisms like pāua and oysters. Read this New Zealand Geographic article by Veronica Meduna to learn more about Mile's research and other research into the effects of ocean chemistry change on marine organisms - Acid Seas.
