Kendrick is divided among teaching, research and administration (33%:33%:33%) and the balance between these areas has varied with administrative responsibilities. He was the Deputy Head of School for the School of Plant Biology 2006-2009, and he was the inaugural Director of the Centre for Marine Futures in 2008. He was acting in the role of Director for the UWA Oceans Institute 2009-2011. He became Head of School of the School of Plant Biology in 2016. He presently is the Deputy Head of School of Biological Sciences formed in 2017 with the merger of Plant and Animal Biology.  He also is a member of the Oceans Institute Executive. 

His long-term research goal is to move from marine ecological studies that describe the distribution of marine organisms to a predictive framework for understanding the spatial linkages between marine species distributions, their biology and the physical environment.
Future research programs include:
1. Seagrass adaptation and acclimation responses to extreme climatic events
2. Circumventing demographic processes that limit seagrass restoration
3. The role of restoration in conserving MNES
4. Resilience in tropical coral macroalgae and seagrasses.
5. Carbon stores and sequestration in seagrass meadows
6. Seed based restoration of seagrasses

Research Income: Since 2000 (18 Years) I have generated with my colleagues $15,212,052 of research income for marine benthic ecological studies around Australia. I presently have $1,400,000 in funded ongoing research programs (2016 – 2020).

December 2015-December 2016: Head of School, School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, W.A. Australia

September 2009 – June 2011 Acting Director, The UWA Oceans Institute and Professor, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, W.A. Australia

February 2006 – August 2009: Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School of Plant
Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, W.A. Australia

July 2001 – February 2006: Senior Lecturer (Biological Oceanography), School of Plant
Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, W.A. Australia

January 1998-July 2001: Lecturer (Biological Oceanography), Botany Department, University
of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, W.A. Australia

February 1996-December 1997: Research Fellow, Botany Department, University of
Western Australia. Seagrass dynamics on Success Bank, Western Australia

October 1992-February 1996: Marine Plant Ecologist, CSIRO Division of Fisheries
Developed techniques to assess coastal impacts to marine plant communities in
the field and in mesocosms.

Professor Kendrick has worked closely with industry since his initial position as Lecturer in 1998 that was fnded through a collaboration between UWA and Cockburn Cement Ltd. He presently works with BMT Marine Consultants, Shark Bay Resources, Shell, INPEX, Rottenst Island Authority, Cockburn Sound Management Authority, WA State Departments of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attriactions, Primary Industries and Resources, Water and Environmental Regulation, National Department of Energy and Environment
His expertise is in design of impact assessment and ERMPs, resouce mapping, assessing impacts to seagrass and macroalgae and as an industry expert assessor for marine impact asssessment. Gary also has been very involved in seagrass revegetation programs and has studied optimizing successful planting units and transplantation of temperate seagrass species.

Undergraduate Teaching experience

2011- present – Professor – Continued teaching in Marine Science (Introduction in Marine Science), developing teaching in Ecology (Marine Biology, Sex in the Sea). Research Leader in the Ocean Institute.

2009- 2011 – Professor – Continued teaching in Marine Science. Became Acting Director of the newly formed UWA Oceans Institute 2009. On executive committee from the Australian National Network in Marine Science – a consortium between University of Western Australia, University of Tasmania and James Cook University to allow for shared undergraduate and graduate teaching across campuses.

2006-2009 – Associate Professor – Continued teaching in Marine Science. Became Deputy Head of School, School of Plant Biology 2006.

2000- 2006 – Senior Lecturer – Continued development in curricula in Marine Science. Restructured Marine Science degree in 2004-2006. Representative for Marine Science on Faculty Education and Learning Committee – 2004. Marine Science Honours Coordinator (2001-2004)

1998-2000 – Lecturer - Curriculum development in marine science. Developed and taught in 2nd and 3rd Year subjects in Marine Science (2nd Year: Introduction to Marine Science, Aquatic Botany, 3rd Year: Biological Oceanography; Field Techniques in Marine Science). Marine Science Honours Co-ordinator (1999-2000).

Formal Graduate Student Supervision
I have successfully supervised 19 PhD, 1 MSc and 22 Honours students to completion, and am presently supervising 8 PhD students and 2 Honours Students. Two of my PhD students received UWA distinctions for their thesis. I find the role of supervisor very rewarding, and my continued collaboration with my graduated PhD students a major stimulus for my own research.

Completed Ph.D. and M.Sc. Students

1999 Cameron Sim, Ph.D. The University of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. topic: The ecology of coralline algae on temperate limestone reefs in Western Australia
co-supervisor: Professor D.I. Walker

2001 Meredith Campey, Ph.D. The University of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.
topic: Ecological Significance of the seagrasses Posidonia coriacea and Heterozostera tasmanica.
co-supervisor: Professor D.I. Walker

2002 Mathew Vanderklift, Univ. of Western Australia. Crawley, W.A. Topic: The importance of grazer diversity in structuring macroalgal assemblages.

2003 Thomas Wernberg-Moller, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. (Distinction)Topic: Processes regulating heterogeneity in seaweed landscapes in Western Australia

2005 Nisse Goldberg, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A (Distinction).Topic: Macroalgal ecology in the Recherche Archipelago, Western Australia
co-supervisor: Professor D.I. Walker

2006 Hugh Forehead, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A Topic: The ecology and biogeochemistry of sandy sediments in the warm temperate coastal waters of Western Australia
co-supervisor: Dr Anya Waite, Dr Peter Thompson

2006 Ben Toohey, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A Topic: Recovery of algal assemblages from canopy disturbance: patterns and processes over a range of reef structures

2006 Dianne Watson, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A Topic: Use of underwater stereo-video to measure fish assemblage structure, spatial distribution of fishes and change in assemblages with protection from fishing
co-supervisor: Dr Euan Harvey

2007 David Abdo: PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A Topic: Maintenance and structuring of two temperate Haliclonid sponge populations
Co-supervisors: Dr Euan Harvey,Dr Justin McDonald, Dr Jane Fromont

2007 Katrina Baxter PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: Linking seafloor mapping and ecological models to improved classification of marine habitats: opportunities and lessons learnt
Co-supervisor: Dr Kimberly Van Niel

2008 Kylie Ryan PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: Small no-take marine protected areas and wave exposure affect temperatesubtidal reef communities at Marmion Marine Park, Western Australia
Co-supervisors: Dr Euan Harvey, Dr Jessica Meeuwig, Prof Diana Walker

2008 Brenton Chatfield PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: How to find the one that got away: Predicting the distribution of temperate demersal fish from environmental variables
Co-supervisor: Dr Kimberly Van Niel

2008 Raquel de Azeredo Muniz PhD, Escola Nacional de Botanica Tropical, Institute de Pesquisas Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Topic: Efeitos do dossel de Sargassum vulgare (Ochrophyta – Fucales) em duas communidades na Baía da Ilha Grande, R.J.
Co-supervisor: Dra. Márcia A. de O. Figueiredo.

2009 Renae Hovey PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: Responses of Posidonia australis Hook.f. and Posidonia sinuosa Cambridge et Kuo
transplants to nitrogen, phosphorus and iron additions in Oyster Harbour, Western Australia, with focus on root development.
Co-supervisors: Dr Marion Cambridge

2011 Ben Saunders PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: The ecology of territorial herbivorous damselfish (Genus Parma) on temperate Western Australian rocky reefs.
Co-supervisors: Dr Euan Harvey

2011 John Statton PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: Restoration potential of Posidonia australis seedlings is enhanced through aquaculture.
Co-supervisors: Prof. Kingsley Dixon, Dr Marion Cambridge

2011 Kirrily White MSc, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: Patterns in Fish Assemblages and Seagrass Herbivory in a Temperate Australian Seagrass Meadow.
Co-supervisor: Dr Mark Westera

2012 Jillian Ooi PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: The role of sedimentary environments on seagrass distribution and abundance at Pulau Tinggi, Malaysia
Co-supervisor: Associate Prof. Kimberly Van Niel

2012 David Rivers PhD., Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic: Seagrass colonization into gaps in meadows – the role of seedling recruitment
Co-supervisor Prof Walker

2013    Margaret Mohring PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.Topic: Threat of climate change on reproductive phenology and gametogenesis in the kelp Ecklonia radiata. Co-supervisor:  Dr Thomas Wernberg

2014    Leonardo Ruiz Montoya, PhD,. Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.Topic: The role of ocean dynamics on seagrass seed dispersal and recruitment in Western Australia.Co-supervisors: A/Prof Lowe, A/Prof Van Niel.

2014    Sam Whitehead  M Sc., Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A., Topic: Modelling Transplantation of Mixed Halodule uninervis and Halophila stipulacea Sods in the Arabian Gulf. Co-supervisors: Dr Renton, Dr Cambridge

2015    Jessie Short, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.,Topic: The effects of ocean warming and acidification on Corallinaceae coralline algae. Co-supervisors: Professor Malcolm McCulloch, A/Prof Falter

2015    Scott Bennett, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.,Topic: Ecological drivers of seaweed canopy resilience along a latitudinal climate gradient.  Co-supervisors: A/Prof Thomas Wernberg

2015    Julia Santana, PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.,Topic: Pelagic stereo-BRUVs: Development and implementation of a fishery-independent technique to study pelagic fish assemblages Co-supervisors: Prof Euan Harvey, Dr Steve Neumann, Dr Tim Langlois

2016    Luke Thomas PhD, Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.,Topic: Mechanisms of coral resilience at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands: resistance, recovery, and adaptation.  Co-supervisors: Michael Stat, Jason Kennington

2016     Katherine Cure Chams PhD. Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A., Topic: Biogeography and ecology of baldchin groper Choerodon rubescens in a changing climate. Co-supervisors: Euan Harvey, JP. Hobbs, Tim Langlois, Gary Kendrick

2016    Adrian Fergusen PhD. Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A.,Topic: Effects of marine reserves on herbivores and their functional role on temperate reefs Supervised by: Euan Harvey, Gary Kendrick, Nathan Knott

2016    Udhi Hernawan, PhD, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, W.A. Topic: Gene flow and genetic structure of the seagrass Thalussia hemprichii in the Indo-Australian Archipelago supervisors: Kathryn McMahon, Paul Lavery, Korjent van Dijk, Gary Kendrick

2017    Matthew Fraser, PhD. Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A., Topic: Phosphorus biogeochemistry of Shark Bay. Supervised by: Gary Kendrick, Pauline Grierson, Greg Skrypek

2017    Simone Strydom, PhD. Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, W.A., Topic: Investigating the effects of light quality on different life history stages of seagrasses. Supervised by: Dr McMahon, Prof Lavery, Prof Kendrick, Dr Statton.

2017    Brian Strehlow PhD. Univ. of Western Australia, Crawley, W.A. Topic:  Identifying, characterizing and quantifying the effects of dredging on sponges.Supervised by: Prof Kendrick, Dr Clode, Dr Renton, Dr Webster.