About Coastal Connections
Coastal Connections was founded with the intention of acting as a bridge between western scientific knowledge and traditional Indigenous knowledge of coastal areas. We aim to support bringing this knowledge to the broader society, or where needed. Coastal Connections believes that non-Indigenous people have much to learn from our Indigenous neighbours, and that scientific and Indigenous knowledge are highly complementary and should walk together.
Our values
• Supporting Indigenous sovereignty
• Environmental justice
• Personal engagement
Claudia Franca De Abreu
FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Coastal Oceanographer
"I have had a passion for oceans and the coast, Indigenous knowledge and social justice ever since I was a child growing up alongside the Guarani People in my home country Brazil. Social and environmental justice have always been core to my values."
Claudia's skills in research, facilitation and community consultation are focused on integrating western knowledge and management of coastal areas with Indigenous coastal knowledge, with a focus on Indigenous wellbeing. She holds a Masters in Coastal Engineering and Management and a Bachelor in Oceanography. Claudia has wide experience in coastal processes, coastal management, engineering projects, cross-cultural workshop facilitation, and working in all these areas as an ally to Indigenous people.
Dr Arnold van Rooijen
FOUNDING PARTNER
Coastal Oceanographer
Coastal Processes Modeller
"The coastal ocean is a very dynamic and ever-changing environment and I find it
fascinating that we can represent this in physical and numerical models. I feel fortunate that
through my work I can have a small contribution to help manage our coast
sustainably."
Arnold's expertise covers a range of coastal hydrodynamic and morphodynamic
processes including nearshore ocean wave evolution, tides, ocean currents,
sediment transport and beach dynamics. He is particularly interested in how marine
ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and reef systems affect
these processes and thereby potentially help protect our coastlines from flooding and
erosion. Arnold holds a PhD in Coastal Oceanography and has experience working in Australia, The Netherlands and Brazil. He offers consultation and project management in modelling coastal zones for industry, governments, and community projects.