Adam Smith (marine biologist)

Adam Kingsley Smith (born 1964, in Sydney, Australia) is the chief executive officer of Reef Ecologic and Adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. He is a marine biologist, marine park manager, citizen scientist and freediver.
Education
Smith was awarded a PhD in marine biology from University of New South Wales in 1999. Following his PhD he completed an MBA from University of Queensland in 2003.
Career and research
Smith's career, research and recreation have focused on fish, ocean, environment, sustainability and people. He has worked for universities, state and federal government and environmental consultancies. Between 1999 and 2014 he worked as a Director of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. He has also held several voluntary Board positions with Australian Underwater Federation, Recfish Australia, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ), Reef Restoration Foundation and Museum of Underwater Art.
His research and management interests and publications are diverse and include sharks, fish, coral reef restoration, Environmental Impact Assessment, dredging and underwater art.
Communication and stewardship
Smith has led many innovative ideas to communicate marine knowledge and stewardship. These include the idea for an official aquatic emblem for Queensland, which led to the declaration of the Barrier Reef Anemonefish. He initiated the ‘Great Australian Shark Count’. He gave a TEDx presentation 'Reef Revolution'.
He led a team that developed the Whitsunday Reef Recovery and Underwater Art project and the Museum of Underwater Art with underwater sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor.
Awards
In 1998, Smith was selected in the Australian team which competed in the 2nd AIDA World Freediving Championships held in Sardinia, Italy.
He has won numerous Australian Underwater Federation (AUF) championships including Open, Veterans, Pairs, Teams, Finswimming, Filmfishing, Spearfishing and Superdiver (5 times) and was elected a life member of the AUF and Townsville Skindiving Club in 2019.

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