Belinda is a microbial ecologist whose primary research focusses on plant health and microbial functions in ecosystems. She is especially interested in the rhizosphere environment, which is the zone of soil that is influenced by plant roots. Locally, she works closely with natural resource managers to improve our ability to respond to and manage activities that impact seagrass ecosystems. Internationally, she works with leaders in microbiome research; building capacity and drawing investment into WA in this growing field of microbiome research. Belinda’s passion for expanding microbiome research in WA is also reflected in the broad range of her local collaborative projects, including using microbes for management of urban streams, for enhancing clean-up of contaminated soils, and even understanding the role of microbes in the preservation of indigenous rock art. She is also co-founder of a science illustration company, Ooid Scientific, specialising in scientific conceptual diagrams and figures for publication.