Jocelyn Dela-Cruz


Jocelyn Dela-Cruz is a Principal Environmental Scientist at the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, Australia. She was educated at the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales.

Background

Dela-Cruz's background in science is diverse. She started her graduate studies as an eco-physiologist, investigating ion and water regulation and nitrogenous excretion in land crabs on Christmas Island. Jocelyn's interest in protecting the marine environment prompted her to undertake a Ph.D. investigating pollutant impacts on water quality and plankton ecology. Soon after, she moved to the United Kingdom to travel and take up a postdoctoral position at the University of Plymouth. It was here that Jocelyn gained skills in developing catchment models and decision support systems to help identify and quantify sources of diffuse pollution. The modelling approaches that she developed were subsequently used for the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme on European Lifestyles and impacts on Marine Ecosystems. The objective of ELME was to integrate existing knowledge of environmental state changes, sectoral pressures and social and economic drivers into a common modelling platform to inform decisions and policies in the United Kingdom and Europe.
As of 2014, Dela-Cruz's work ranged from being an expert witness for legal prosecutions, conducting audits, responding to pollution incidents, reviewing acts and regulations, and providing advice to other agencies on environmental impacts. Her main research role at this time was to bring together best available data and develop tools for evidence based decision making.

Publications