We aim to elevate women’s voices,
research and experiences in marine science.
These are stories from our community that connect and inspire us.
Some Need Straws
At the age of 12, I was on vacation and asked to assist in an emergency wild sea turtle nest removal mission. That day was the a catalyst of my career and my life to protecting nature as a field biologist. I left my home during the pandemic and travelled across the US to work under the National Park Service as a Kemp’s Ridley Biotech. So yeah, I love sea turtles. But I can’t be fully on board with the straw ban.
Karla Martins: A Collection of Personal Experiences by Black Women in Marine Science
Karla Martins Is a Fisheries engineer from Brazil. As a PhD candidate, she is a Black woman in a space traditionally occupied by white men. Karla has a thought provoking and positive attitude to the changes that are being made to dismantle and reconstruct racial attitudes towards education.
From Coastlines to Coral
Like many of the extraordinary women featured on this site, I fell in love with the ocean early on and fell hard. Declaring myself a future marine biologist by the time I was about 9 years old, I spent summers exploring the barnacle-ridden rocky tidal pools at Wingaersheek Beach in my home state of Massachusetts or catch-and-releasing crabs and invertebrates that were unfortunate enough to pass by my grandparents’ dock in Chesapeake Bay. I was happiest when I was saltiest, and that hasn’t changed.
Ida-Wenona Hendricks: A Collection of Personal Experiences by Black Women in Marine Science
Ida-Wenona Hendricks is a Tropical marine biologist, naturalist and budding taxonomist; she shares with us her journey as a Black African female marine biologist. Her unique experiences and the hurdles she has had to overcome in the industry. As a Namibian marine biologist Ida has faced repercussions for questioning neo-colonial practices in her home country. In addition, Ida is helping women of colour to protect their beautiful coils from saltwater in an eco-friendly way.
Diversity in Ocean Science: A Collection of Personal Experiences by Black Women in Marine Science
With the help of some inspiring, powerful and brilliant Black women, we have come together to share our stories of being Black women in marine science. I hope our stories and reflections inspire you. For some, this is the first time we have been able to share our experiences so candidly. For others, it is the first time we have been asked. We are making waves in this industry and are working hard to inspire future generations of women of colour in marine conservation.
Investigating Plastic Pollution: An Interview with Dr. Imogen Napper
Plastic derived from the Greek plastikos meaning ‘capable of being shaped or moulded’, is a long lasting, cheap and strong product that can be found everywhere. The miracle material with its ideal properties for manufacturing is at the heart of a global epidemic. The properties that once made plastic an ideal product also make it a gravely problematic one, a result of our throwaway culture. To date, over 300 million tons of plastic is produced each year, of which 8 million tons finds it’s way into our oceans yearly.
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