Some people know right away that they want to be a marine biologist. Others may shy away for one reason or another at first, and then become an influential part of the marine science community. Dr. Elaine Leung falls into the latter category--her excellence in the field seemed unlikely at first, as she is prone to seasickness! Luckily for the Women in Ocean Science community and beyond, she has pushed through the initial apprehension and now has over fifteen years of experience researching threatened marine animals--especially top predators--and worked with many global stakeholders to protect species based on her findings.

Meet Dr Joanna Alfaro Shigueto, director and co-founder of ProDelphinus, a non-profit organisation in Peru that works with fishing communities, researchers and the government to protect sea turtles and marine fauna to reduce by-catch. She is an incredible scientist and mother of two (Kenzo and Jake) who has worked in marine conservation in South America for over 25 years!

She introduced me to the Lonely Conservationist platform, run by Jessie Panazzolo. I immediately followed the account and downloaded her book, Conserving Conservationists. I gobbled it up in less than 48 hours and knew I needed the WMC and WOS community to hear about her work.

I think it is what I liked the most about being a whale watching guide. Being directly on the frontline between science and ‘real life’.”

My last two summers were spent where I like to be the most - by the ocean, or even better, on the ocean.

Sue Trew is an author and illustrator who grew up on the islands of Barbados. Inspired by the wildlife she grew up around, she launched her series of children’s books and plushies called Turtle Tracks Family. You can find Trew’s books in zoos, aquariums, and non-profits across where revenue goes back to support their programs. She actively works with partner organizations to write books on specific topics, such as her latest “Gecko Getwaway” sponsored by the Fauna & Flora International.

No matter where you are on Earth, every single person has a story to tell about the lives they live. Stories have the power to connect us to each other and to bring about change. They also have the power to make us more emphatic to what is happening around us. This is the beauty and magic of storytelling! Without it, we wouldn’t be humans.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is a Cape Cod, Massachusetts based non-profit organization with the mission to support scientific research, improve public safety, and educate the community to inspire white shark conservation. Marianne Long is the Education Director at AWSC. She works with the Education team to create and deliver education programs that engage the public

Elasmo Week is a virtual event about sharks, skates and rays - a group of fish collectively called Elasmobranchs. Real scientists will be talking about the various and mind-blowing ways they study elasmobranchs while celebrating as many species as they can! It is a free week-long event, and if you miss out on any of the live talks, they will be available on the MISS YouTube channel for future binge-watching.

Jacinta Shackleton is a marine biologist and educator at Lady Elliot Island, located right on the Great Barrier Reef. You might recognize her name from her stunning work filming and photographing marine animals. Most notably, she is 1/~50 people to have seen and filmed an Ornate Eagle Ray.

Currently, I am the Conservation Programs Manager at The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. I help manage and coordinate our conservation efforts, which include coastal restoration both above and

When you think of a scientist you might think of someone in a lab or working outside, but rarely do you think of someone in the classroom. Veronica “Vero” Valverde works for the Leatherback Trust in Playa Cabuyal, Costa Rica and is one of the original members of their educational program, launched in 2017.

Meet Lucie, a passionate marine megafauna ambassador and read about her journey to pursue her dreams.