Marianne has a Bachelor of Biological Science majoring in Microbiology and Biochemistry from La Trobe University with Honours in Microbiology, in which she was awarded the Top Undergraduate Microbiology Student award. At the University of Calgary, she specialises in energy bioengineering and photobioreactor technology. Her particular focus is on developing systems which harness the versatility of microorganisms to create sustainable closed loop processes. Currently, she works as part of a team scaling up algal cultivation to produce a new source of sustainable energy.