Learning and Living as an Early Career Ocean Professional

By Gavindya Kawshani

I am Gavindya Kawshani, a Master of Philosophy candidate at the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. In my research, I investigate saltmarsh ecosystems in Sri Lanka to identify their floral diversity and map their distribution. During my investigations, I recognized that little was known about tropical saltmarsh ecosystems across the Indian Ocean. To address this, I applied for the IORA Blue Carbon Hub Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) program 2025. I am delighted to have been selected to conduct research to enhance the understanding of saltmarshes in the Indian Ocean region.

My project involved conducting a systematic literature search to find research articles and regional documents related to saltmarshes in countries bordering the Indian Ocean. After reviewing the literature, I sought to understand how the term ‘saltmarsh’ is used within the region and to identify the classifications applied to saltmarshes. I extracted the information about saltmarshes and associated species at specific locations and using the results gathered, I clustered the countries based on the similarities in species occurrence within the Indian Ocean region.

With the exposure and expert guidance, I shaped my skills in effectively using AI tools for efficient research. I used Notebook LM from Google to skim through the literature. This way I could manage the time, when a systematic literature review is not possible within an eight-week period.  Additionally, I gained confidence in data analysis using R where I conducted cluster analysis and calculated similarity indices for the recorded species list.

Immediately after returning to Sri Lanka, I had the valuable opportunity to attend the 6th IORA Blue Carbon Hub Think Tank meeting in Negombo, Sri Lanka. This event was an incredible experience, offering a fantastic networking opportunity which will significantly contribute to my future career in blue carbon science.

Left image: (left to right) Munawaroh, Lauren, Debarati, Shan, Gavindya on a day trip to the aquarium; top right: Fieldwork trip to saltmarsh and mangroves (left to right) Rita, Debarati, Mat, Munawaroh, Gavindya and Shan; middle image: Presenting on the ECOP project to CSIRO staff and fellow ECOPs; bottom image: Mat and Gavindya examining seagrass as part of the ECOP fieldtrip.

Beyond work, the program offered valuable experiences and knowledge where we also had time to travel and explore Perth. What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to appreciate the local wildlife and explore the blue carbon ecosystems in the region. It was my first time seeing mangroves and saltmarshes outside of Sri Lanka. Since my research focuses on saltmarshes, witnessing them was eye opening revealing the true similarities and differences of these ecosystems irrespective of their location in nature, beyond what literature alone can reveal. My most unforgettable memory was wading into the water and exploring the seagrasses. It was an educational three days filled with wonderful memories of blue carbon ecosystems.   

I must highlight the immense guidance and support from the IORA Blue Carbon Hub throughout the program which was invaluable in every aspect. Moving forward, I plan to integrate my research findings from the IORA Blue Carbon Hub with those related to saltmarshes in Sri Lanka and publish them to share with the research community. With all the new knowledge I have gathered, I am looking forward to contributing more towards blue carbon ecosystems.