Rate My Professor Rob Lewis

Rob Lewis serves as a Teaching Fellow at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre (NZMSC) in the Department of Marine Science at the University of Otago. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Massey University in 2009 and his Master of Science in Marine Science from the University of Otago in 2019, with his master's research examining population demographics of broadnose sevengill sharks. In his position, Lewis develops, coordinates, and delivers marine science education programmes for schools, community groups, and public interest audiences. He holds the role of Project Co-ordinator for Participatory Science and acts as the resident shark expert, leading initiatives that integrate public participation into marine research. Central to his work is the Shark Spy project, a citizen science effort monitoring shark populations in Otago Harbour through community-submitted sightings, camera deployments, and analysis on the Zooniverse platform, which has engaged nearly 1,300 volunteers in its early phases alone.

Lewis has authored or co-authored several peer-reviewed publications advancing knowledge in shark ecology, biodiversity assessment methods, science education, and parasitology. Notable works include "Estimating population parameters of broadnose sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) using photo identification capture-recapture" published in the Journal of Fish Biology (2020); "Marine environmental DNA (eDNA) for biodiversity assessments: a one-to-one comparison between eDNA and baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys" (2020); "Measuring Science Skills Development in New Zealand High School Students After Participation in Citizen Science Using a DEVISE Evaluation Scale" in the New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies (2021); "Size structure of broadnose sevengill sharks in Sawdust Bay, Rakiura/Stewart Island, estimated using underwater stereo-photogrammetry" in the New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research (2021); and "Temperature driving a mass killer: assessing the risk of trematode outbreaks for New Zealand seabirds" (2026). These contributions have accumulated 45 citations and 3,376 reads on ResearchGate. Beyond research, Lewis supports outreach via Aquavan mobile science exhibits, secondary-level teaching, and extension programmes. He delivers expert talks on shark biology, ecology, conservation, and species like porbeagle and sevengill sharks, promoting public awareness and involvement in marine science at the University of Otago.