In March 2026, Ian traveled to Sydney (just down the road from his family home in Brisbane), Australia, to work with Prof. Maria Byrne to sample the cold-water version of Diadema, Centrostephanus rodgersi in Sydney Harbour. The work was performed at the Sydney Institute for Marine Science – an old naval base in Mossman, overlooking the Sydney heads. Maria is one of the world’s experts in echinoderm evolution and biology, so it was a great honor to collaborate. We will be using these specimens to survey the normal microbiome of Diadematidae urchins ahead of any disease which may occur – a critical step in understanding and separating pathogens from normal microbes. After sampling, Ian fulfilled a long time goal – to swim at an ocean pool in Clovelly, and to snorkel in the giant tide pool there!