Profile

I live in Aberdeenshire with my Caribbean “pothound” (street dog) named Finn 🐶, who I adopted ten years ago while I was living abroad.

I am a marine biologist who completed my Ph.D. last year studying coral rubble (the dead pieces of coral that form into mounds after damage) with fieldwork in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.

I’ve always loved the ocean 🌊 and spending time outdoors🌲. Growing up, I was curious about animals 🐘 🐞 🐡and nature 🌸🌳, which led me to study marine biology. Today, I spend a lot of time travelling and working in tropical locations, where I get to dive and explore coral reefs.

Outside of work, I enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling, and exploring new places. I like photography (and I’m slowly being converted into a bird watcher 🐦 through this!), being on boats, and learning about wildlife both above and below the water. If there is water nearby, you’ll find me in it or on it 🤣!

I love sharing what I learn about the ocean and helping others understand why marine ecosystems are important and worth protecting.

I am a marine biologist who studies coral reefs. My work helps us understand how coral reefs change over time and how we can protect them.

I spend part of my time doing fieldwork, where I dive on coral reefs to collect samples of coral rubble (broken pieces of reef) and the animals that live in it. I then work in a laboratory to study DNA, which is the genetic information found in all living things. This helps us understand which species are present and how reef communities are connected.

I also use maths, statistics, and computer mapping to analyse large sets of data and create maps showing reef habitats and environmental changes. By combining underwater work, lab science, and data analysis, I can better understand reef health and support conservation and restoration efforts

Typical Field Day – I wake up early (usually around 5/6am), get breakfast, and make sure everything is organised/packed/charged for the day. We head out on the boat around 8am and do 3 dives. In between dives we grab a quick snack and sort samples/change camera batteries. We usually get back to the dock around 4-5pm, unload everything, and head to the lab/accommodation where all the samples need to be sorted and labelled before we head to sleep. Its a long day, and we often don’t finish till 10-11pm! Field days are long and tiring, but we have limited time on these trips and if the weather is good, we have to go go go, in case next week it isn’t.

Typical Lab Day – I wake up and have breakfast before heading to the lab (anywhere from 7-9am depending on what needs to be done). We often have samples which need to have their DNA extracted, prepared, and sequenced. There are also admin tasks of stock checking chemicals and supplies, cleaning and servicing equipment, and training interns/students to use the lab safely which I do when samples are running.

Typical Analysis Day – I usually do analysis from home, so it is a much more chilled day. I take my dog for a walk and have breakfast before sitting down at the computer (around 9am) and working on some analysis or writing (journal articles, website posts, funding reports, grant applications, etc). On these days, I usually teach my high school students from 4-8pm and then head to bed.