Dr. Anna Metaxas

Killam Professor
Dalhousie University, Department of Oceanography
2010-Present
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Honourary Professor
University of Queensland, School of the Environment
2025-2028
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

TEACHING

2001-present Deep Sea Biology (OCEA 4370/5370), Dalhousie University

2018-2019       Conversations with Ocean Scientists (OCEA 1001), Dalhousie University

2016-2019      Honours Class in Ocean Sciences (OCEA 4200), Dalhousie University

INVITED LECTURES                       

2024 – Introduction to Biological Oceanography (OCEA 4140/5140), Dalhousie University

2022 – Information in Public Policy and Decision Making (INFO 6100), Dalhousie University

2021 – CAMPUS DO MAR, International Doctoral program: Deep-Sea Biodiversity and Conservation

2019 – Introduction to Geological Oceanography (OCEA4140), Dalhousie University

2017-2019 – Contemporary Issues in Ocean Management and Development (MARA 5001), Dalhousie University

2005-2019 – International Ocean Institute Training Programme, Dalhousie University

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES

  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice – Nairobi, Kenya (May 2024) – Government of Canada Delegate
  • Marine Connectivity Working Group, International Union for the Conservation of Nature – World Commission on Protected Areas, Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group, Executive Committee (Member) (Apr 2023-present)
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Part Two) – Montreal, Canada (Dec 2022) – DOSI Lead of Delegation
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Fifth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Montreal, Canada (Dec 2022)-DOSI Lead of Delegation
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, Online Discussion Forum on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas in preparation for the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties Thematic area: Marine and Coastal Biodiversity– DOSI Delegate (September 2022)
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – 4th Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group for the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (OEWG-4). Member of Canadian Delegation and contributor to Canadian Positions on the Draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Nairobi, Kenya (June 2022)
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, Online Discussion Forum on conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity in preparation for the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties – DOSI Delegate (June 2022)
  • Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative, “Task force on the Conservation of Deepwater Biodiversity” Co-lead (Feb 2022-Present)
  • Convention on Biological Diversity – Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, 24th meeting – Geneva, Switzerland. DOSI Delegate (March 2022)
  • Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services– Nexus assessment (Interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health) – Lead Author
  • Scientific Steering Committee – Member, 5th Effects of Climate Change on the World’s Ocean Symposium, Bergen, Norway (April 2023)
  • 8th Session Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services – DOSI Delegate (June 2021)
  • Expert Working Group: Scoping marine biodiversity protection in US waters, Lenfest Ocean Program, US National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (Apr – Dec 2020)
  • 26th Annual Session, Council, International Seabed Authority – DOSI Delegate (Feb 2020)
  • Peer reviewer, Second World Ocean Assessment (WOA II), Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, United Nations (2019-2020)
  • Working group on a “Roadmap for a Standardised Global Approach to Deep-Sea Biology for the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (DeepSeaDecade)” of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research, Associate Member (2020-2023)
  • International Union for the Conservation of Nature, World Commission on Marine Protected Areas – Member of Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group (May 2019-present)
  • 25th Annual Session, Council, International Seabed Authority – DOSI Delegate (Jul 2019)
  • Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative, Advisory Board – Member (2018-2022)
  • Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative, Working Group on Decade of Deep-Ocean Science, 2018-present
  • Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative, Working Group on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, 2018-present
  • Deep-Sea Biology Society Mentoring Group – Mentor (2018-2023)
  • International Council for the Exploration of the Sea – Working Group on Deep-Water Ecology, 2017-present
  • Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative, Working Group on Oil & Gas, 2015- present
  • Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative, Working Group on Minerals, 2015- present
  • United Nations, Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, Pool of Experts (Member: 2013-present)

NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEES

  • “Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy Marine Refuge” Coordination Committee, DFO Maritimes (2023-present)
  • “Fundian Channel Area of Interest” Advisory Committee, DFO Maritimes (2021-present)
  • “Eastern Shore Islands Area of Interest” Advisory Committee, DFO Maritimes (2018-present)
  • MPA Network Technical Working Group ad hoc member, DFO Maritimes (2015-present)
  • Environmental Monitoring Advisory Committee, Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (2015-present)
  • Endeavour Marine Protected Area Advisory Committee, Fisheries and Oceans (2007-2024)
  • “Canadian Healthy Oceans Network II” NSERC Strategic Network, Member of Scientific Advisory Committee and Theme Leader (2015-2020)
  • Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility,  Board of Directors, Member (2012-2019)
  • Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility User Committee, Member (2009-2022)

INVITED INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS

  • 2nd Canada-European Union (EU) Ocean Partnership Forum (OPF) on marine conservation and innovation, organized by Global Affairs Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 2025
  • “A Volcanic Lost World’: Research Symposium on the Lord Howe Rise and South Tasman Sea”, organized by the High Seas Alliance, World Wildlife Fund, the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative and the Australian Government, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, May 2025
  • “Seamount Science Summit: Ecological Insights Workshop”, organized by the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative and the Pew Charitable Trusts, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, October 2024
  • “The EBSA portfolio as a potential starting point for scoping ABMT/MPA proposals for BBNJ”, organized by the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative, online, September 2024
  • “Area-based Management Tools in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction”, 2024 IUCN High Seas Workshop, organized by International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland, September 2024
  • “MiningImpact 3 Stakeholder Workshop”, a leading international research project investigating the environmental impacts of future deep-sea mining. Utrecht, The Netherlands and online, June 2024
  • “GOBI global-scale scientific and technical workshop to review and assess EBSAs in ABNJ”, organized by the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative, Santa Cruz, California, USA, November 2022.
  • “IUCN ABMTs in ABNJ follow up discussion ahead of ICG5”, organized by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Online, July 2022.
  • “Expert Workshop to support the Roadmap for further development of the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea basin (NACES) Marine Protected Area”, co-led by EU, Germany, Norway and Sweden on behalf of the OSPAR Commission, online, June 2022.
  • “Marine Protected Areas and other Area-based Management Tools in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction’’ BBNJ IGC4 pre-workshop, organized by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Government of France. Gland, Switzerland, December 2021.
  • “Protecting deep seabed ecosystems under the future Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of BBNJ and by the ISA – Perspectives of Government, Civil Society, Stakeholders, and Law and Science”, organized by the Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea (NILOS) and the Utrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law (UCWOSL) of Utrecht University, and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ). Invited presenter. Utrecht, The Netherlands, December 2021.
  • “Deep Dive on Ecological Connectivity” workshop, to discuss best practices for marine ecological connectivity and corridors, as well as collaborations between MPA managers and partners across North America. Organized by NAMPAN (North American Marine Protected Areas Network) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Program). Invited speaker, nominated for Canada by Parks Canada. October 2021 (virtual format)
  • “Deep Dive on Ecological Connectivity” workshop, organized by the NAMPAN (North American Marine Protected Areas Network). Panelist, nominated for Canada by Parks Canada. April 2021 (virtual format)
  • “Workshop on the use of predictive models in ICES advice”, organized by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. February 2021 (virtual format)
  • International workshop on “Marine scientific research in the area: establishing collaborative platform to enhance biodiversity knowledge for environmental management in mid-ocean ridge ecosystem focusing on the Indian ocean” convened by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). November 2020 (virtual format).
  • International workshop on “The development of a Regional Environmental Management Plan (REMP) for the Area of the Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) with a focus on polymetallic sulphides” convened by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Canadian Delegate nominated by Global Affairs Canada (Rapporteur and workshop report co-author). November 2020 (virtual format).
  • Co-lead of “Environmental Consequences of Deep-sea mining” workshop organized by The Banbury Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The originally in person- intended workshop is now held as a series of webinars (October 2020, January 2021 and February 2021) to be followed, by an in-person meeting in 2022.
  • 1st meeting of SCOR Working Group 159 “Roadmap for a Standardised Global Approach to Deep-Sea Biology for the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”, Aveiro, Portugal, January 2020
  • “Bremen Roundtable Meeting for WG 3 (Seabed Mineral Resources) and External Scientists: Regional Environmental Management Plans (REMPs) in the context of deep seabed mining”, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, MARUM, Bremen, Germany, November 2019
  • “Towards a standardized approach to Regional Environmental Management Plans in the Area”, Germany (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety), the Netherlands (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and the Pew Charitable Trusts, Hamburg, Germany, November 2019
  • “Scientific considerations for for Environmental Management of Inactive Polymetallic Sulfide (PMS) Ecosystems”, Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative, National University of Ireland (Galway) and the Pew Charitable Trusts, Galway, Ireland, October 2019
  • Foresight workshop on “Advances in ocean biological observations: sustained system for deep-ocean meroplankton”, Aveiro, Portugal, May 2019
  • ATLAS “Deep Sea Particle Tracking Workshop”, organized by Work Package 1 “Ocean Dynamics Driving Ecosystem Response” and Work Package 4 “Connected Resources”, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, January 2019

INVITED NATIONAL WORKSHOPS

  • Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Regional Peer Review, “Review and Update of the State of Knowledge for the Eastern Shore Islands Area of Interest and Surrounding Area”, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (March 2025)
  • Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, National Peer Review meeting, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, “Cumulative impact mapping and vulnerability of marine ecosystems to multiple anthropogenic stressors”, Ottawa, Ontario (virtual: December 2021).
  • Canadian Centre for Science Advice, Maritimes Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Regional Peer Review Process “Gully Marine Protected Area (MPA) Monitoring: Review of Research Activities, Indicators, and Guidance on Next Steps”, Halifax, Nova Scotia (January 2021)
  • Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Headquarters, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, “Coral and Sponge Monitoring”, Ottawa, Ontario (virtual: December 2020). Expert reviewer.
  • Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Headquarters, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, “Marine Conservation Network Monitoring”, Montreal, Quebec (September 2019)