By Kath Whittey Dr Emma Young is an ocean and biophysical modeller at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). In our interview we spoke about ocean currents, shrinking Antarctic krill, how you can use computer modelling to predict the movement of creatures in the water and her experience as a woman in ocean science. Dr Young also explains that you can include the variability of environmental factors in the models, so they can be used to predict effects such as climate change.  Hi Dr Young! Tell us a bit about your work. “I work for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) where I develop and app ..read more

By Kath Whittey I had the pleasure of interviewing and chatting to Allison Cusick, a polar guide and scientist. Through the interview Allison talks about her journey in STEMM and how she go to where she is now. Her story resonated with me so much and there were so many stories that I realised I have lived too. My take home message from chatting with Allison was that it’s ok to want it all!  So over to Allison, I hope many of you will feel as inspired as I do! IG Handle: womanscientist Allison Cusick Hey! Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Allison Cusick. I was born and raised in Se ..read more

By Farrah Leone This interview was given about a month before Crawford defended her thesis. I am happy to announce that she is now Dr. Lisa Crawford! Hey! Tell us a bit about yourself. Hi! My name is Lisa Crawford. I’m a senior PhD candidate in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University on Long Island, NY. I study the effects of chemical pollution on sharks in the Atlantic Ocean. I’m originally from Denver, Colorado. Growing up in a landlocked state, my love of the ocean came from the fascination of this massive ecosystem that was so far from home and a special pla ..read more

By Leah Shamlian Heidi Hertler has spent the majority of her career in the Caribbean. In addition to conducting coral research, she’s also the Center Director of The School for Field Studies’ Center for Marine Resource Studies (SFS CMRS) in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). CMRS, also known as the Center, plays a unique role on the island: every year, it brings undergraduate students into the community of about 1,200 people, both to study the local ecology and to contribute to community programs. Photo by: Clarence Stringer How are you involved in the local community?  Being involved w ..read more

By Leah Shamlian With a quick Google search, it’s easy to find Gretta Pecl’s accomplishments – and they are impressive. Gretta’s career started in the world of ecology, inspired by an interest in insects when she was young and spurred by a bit of a contrarian streak when higher education wasn’t necessarily encouraged. She credits several mentors for her continuation in academia and now works to pay it forward. The idea of recognising your own skills and limitations underpins Pecl’s work: on interdisciplinary teams, in science communication, and when interacting with stakeholders. She stresses ..read more

By Grace Barbara Dr. Andrea Marshall was drawn to the ocean at a young age and steadily developed her passion for marine science, leading to her work in marine megafauna and the formation of her non-governmental organization (NGO) the Marine Megafauna Foundation.  The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) aims to save ocean giants from extinction and Dr. Marshall founded the MMF because she wanted to create an organization whose values and goals that aligned with her own, including being devoted to field work.  Marine megafauna includes large sharks and rays, bony fishes, and turtles an ..read more

By Grace Barbara When asking children “what do you want to be when you grow up” you usually receive a flurry of answers that change over time until they settle on a profession in their adult life.  For Dr. Steph Gardner, though, her dreams of being a marine biologist started when she was just 7 years old and since then, she has done everything in her power to chase them. When she turned 16, she became SCUBA certified and she distinctly remembers taking her first breath underwater, it was then that she reaffirmed that she would dedicate the rest of her life to understanding the ocean.  ..read more

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By Kath Whittey For many of us our route into marine science is often convoluted and quite often, actually, unexpected! Flossy was embarking on a career in the fashion industry and somehow ended up swimming with manta rays and falling in love with the ocean! She is now researching ways to engage more women and girls to follow suit and engage with the ocean.  Flossy Barraud. Photo Credit: Simon Hilbourne from Manta Trust Hey! Tell us a bit about yourself. Hi! I’m Flossy, and I’m currently a PhD student at the University of Plymouth. I am doing my PhD in collaboration with the Manta Trust ..read more

By Farrah Leone Hey! Tell us a bit about yourself.  My name is Aliyah Griffith. I am a PhD student in the Marine Science department at UNC Chapel Hill. I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University and my Master’s of Science from my current department. I study coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, how they have changed over time and what changes we might expect in the future. How did you get to where you are now? I am where I am now through the help of mentors and the support I’ve received from friends and family. I knew what I wanted t ..read more