Dr Laura Ryan studied how sharks see and sense their world in order to understand why some sharks sometimes bite humans and unlock new ways to protect people.
She discovered that white sharks often mistake swimmers and surfers for seals, their natural prey, because of the way they see. Using this knowledge, she developed light-based counter-illumination technology that prevents white sharks from biting seal-shaped decoys. This technology is now entering the real world through Kraken Systems, a university spin-off co-founder by Dr Ryan, which has the potential to safeguard Australians’ love affair with the ocean.
2026