Sebastien Boulay

About

Director ,

South Seas Consulting Ltd

Summary

Physical oceanographer and Pacific conservation leader with 20+ years’ experience translating marine science into policy and action. Conceived, secured funding for, and managed multi-million-dollar international projects, including the USTDA-funded modernization of Vanuatu’s Meteorological Service. Co-founder of Backyard Buoys, a USD 35M Indigenous- and community-led ocean observing initiative. Experienced in supporting and advising marine and weather technology startups to bring innovations to market. Partnered with Indigenous and local communities across the Pacific and applied oceanographic data to Marine Protected Area monitoring and coastal resilience. Bilingual in English and French, based in New Zealand with long-standing Pacific networks. Combines scientific depth, regional knowledge, and hands-on program delivery to advance equitable and durable ocean protection.

Qualifications and credentials

Master of Science (Physical Oceanography), 2010-2012, Completed, University of Waikato

Bachelor of Science (Oceanography, Hydrographic Surveying), 2002-2006, Completed, INTECHMER, University of Glamorgan

Work experience

Vanuatu: Early Warning System Modernization Pilot Project and Capacity Building, Tomorrow.io, Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department (VMGD), United States Trade and Development Agency, Project Founder and Lead (scoping, fundraising, and implementation), Vanuatu, "Vanuatu: Early Warning System Modernization Pilot Project and Capacity Building" Conceived, designed, and secured USD 3.3M in funding from the U.S.

Backyard Buoys, University of Washington, National Science Foundation, Co-Founder, Principal Investigator, Remote, https://backyardbuoys.org/ Backyard Buoys is a project funded (USD5M) by the National Science Foundation that empowers Indigenous and other coastal c

Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) 5 years review, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Stakeholder reviewer, Remote, The scope of this review was to assess the quality, relevance and performance of research and activities sponsored or conducted by NOAA’s GOMO over th

Third World Ocean Assessment (WOA III), United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS), Expert, Remote, The Third World Ocean Assessment will, for the first time, not only report on the current state of the ocean, but detail the information, tools and ap

Publications

BackyardBuoys: Meeting coastal indigenous community needs for wave data through co-design and co-production., One Ocean Summit, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394974841_BackyardBuoys_Meeting_coastal_indigenous_community_needs_for_wave_data_through_co-design_and_co-production

Backyard Buoys: Meeting Needs of Coastal, Indigenous Communities Through Co-Design and Co-Production, The Oceanography Society, https://tos.org/oceanography/article/backyard-buoys-meeting-needs-of-coastal-indigenous-communities-through-co-design-and-co-production

Workshop Report for the Air-Sea Observations for a Safe Ocean, a satellite event for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development - Safe, OASIS for a SafeOcean, https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/57159/

Comparative wave measurements at a wave energy site with a recently developed low-cost wave buoy (Spotter), ADCP and pressure loggers, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350572769_Comparative_wave_measurements_at_a_wave_energy_site_with_a_recently_developed_low-cost_wave_buoy_Spotter_ADCP_and_pressure_loggers

Simplified approach to operationalise UKC calculations, World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC), https://coms.events/pianc-panama/data/x_abstracts/x_abstract_156.pdf

Marine Weather Forecasting and Monitoring at the Port of Sydney and Botany Bay, NSW, Australia, Coasts and Ports, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283824032_Marine_weather_forecasting_and_monitoring_at_the_Port_of_Sydney_and_Botany_Bay_NSW_Australia

Development Of A Low Cost Wave Buoy By Utilising Smartphone Technology, Coasts and Ports, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265728503_Development_Of_A_Low_Cost_Wave_Buoy_By_Utilising_Smartphone_Technology

Analysis of multibeam sonar data for benthic habitat characterization of the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, University of Waikato, https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/6611