No, I am not kidding. Being a real life mermaid is a thing! This week we spoke to Lila Jones, real life mermaid, marine biologist and owner of Mermaid Dream Retreats.

When I was 16 years old, I found out I would never be able to scuba dive. The only way I could ever dive again (because the first time was a bloody mess, literally), would be to save enough money to get surgery to fix my sinuses. This was crushing as I had a life-long dream of being a marine biologist. Essentially I just said screw it, I’m going to uni and studying Marine Biology anyway!

Supported by the Coral Sea Foundation (@coralseafoundation), the Sea Women of Melanesia are a small group of young women, working together to advocate and enact change within their communities. This week our editor, Michaela, was fortunate enough to interview one of them, Julyne Norlie, the coordinator for Papua New Guinea.

Introducing Girls in Ocean Science, the number one place for girls in marine science to connect and get together. Whether you're a marine biologist, researcher, student, oceanographer, engineer, chemist, or simply a girl who loves ocean science, then this is the platform for you! So who are we and what are we about? Keep reading to find out…