Wendy Nelson (marine scientist)

Wendy Nelson
Nelson in 2018
Nationality	New Zealand
Alma mater	University of British Columbia
Awards	Hutton Medal
Scientific career
Fields	Marine biology
Thesis	Analipus japonicus (Harv.) Wynne (Phaeophyta): studies of its biology and taxonomy (1980)

Wendy Alison Nelson MNZM is a New Zealand marine scientist and world expert in phycology. She is New Zealand's leading authority on seaweeds.^[1] Nelson is particularly interested in the biosystematics of seaweeds/macroalgae of New Zealand, with research on floristics, evolution and phylogeny, as well as ecology, and life history studies of marine algae. Recently she has worked on the systematics and biology of red algae including coralline algae, distribution and diversity of seaweeds in harbours and soft sediment habitats, and seaweeds of the Ross Sea and Balleny Islands.^[2]