Kerry holds a BSc in Marine Biology from Swansea University (1997), and PhD in Deep-Sea Ecology from Southampton University (2002). She has participated in 16 research cruises and is highly experienced in the use of robotic and autonomous systems for benthic biological research. From an academic perspective her research is focused on understanding biodiversity patterns in the deep sea, including faunal zonation and species turnover with depth, as well as speciation along the depth gradient. However her real focus is in applying ecological research to support the design of effective marine protected area networks, including the creation of reliable habitat maps, and models of population connectivity that under-pin the design.