Marine Biologist
Where it all started?
I grew up in a land-locked part of the UK, which meant family holidays were spent at the coast. The coastline was different from the tree fringed area I was used to. The craggy rocks lined open blue water which extended out to a distant horizon, mesmerising. As a young child I explored the beach and found new and exiting animals above and below the tide line. As I got older, I started to look up the marine life I found in various books, finding answers to the secrets of this new exciting world. When I was about 6 years old I donned my first snorkel and mask and everything changed... I discovered and entirely new world underneath the surface, and I was captivated. The normal loud noisy world above was muted and I saw different plants, colours and large or tiny animals, something new each time. My curiousity was captured, which later grew into scientific curiousity...
"I'm going to be a Marine Biologist"
I read a children's fictional book where the parent's career was described as a "Marine Biologist" and that was it. I could barely say the word but that was what I was going to be... I was excited that I could learn more about the underwater world as a career.
I continued to explore the sea, painting what I saw, my own type of scientific llustration which I then looked up. This soon fostered a love of science, leading me to univerisity. After 4 years I was set free into the world with fresh enthusiasm and I had fulfilled my dream, I was now a "Marine Biologist"...next was finding a job.
What do I do now?
I worked abroad and then settled back into the UK. Now I work on two main areas:
1. Fish migration. I explore where fish go and what they do, from the time of release to recapture. This involves "pelagic species" which are fish that migrate large distances from mackerel to large tuna.
2. Award winning Science communication. This is a perfect combination of art and science. My visual mindset helps me take a complex topic and translate it into a visual format. These visualisations are called "Infographics" and span across many projects and work. I also host a podcast which aims to bridge the gap between the public and scientists.
