Meet our Scientists

What do you do in your Job?

I am a first-year postgraduate student focused on understanding the distribution and abundance of microplastics in UK waterways. Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm and include for example the infamous microbeads from cosmetic products. Over the course of the next three years I will be gathering data on microplastic content from UK rivers including the Thames which is our major urban river. This should allow us to increase our understanding of the UK freshwater’s microplastic content and how these rivers may contribute to marine microplastics.

What is your favourite top fact about your field of expertise. e.g. Did you know…..?

Did you know? Blue Planet 2 was the UK’s most watched TV programme of 2017!
It is also the third most watched programme of the past five years (behind the 2014 football world cup final and the Great British Bake Off final).

If you had to summarise the impact your job has on everyday life – what would you say in two sentences?

My research will help increase our awareness of freshwater plastic pollution in the UK and hopefully inform us on how to improve our plastic waste disposal. In addition, estimating the abundance of microplastics in UK rivers should contribute to the information the UK needs to improve the management and protection of our rivers and seas.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The ability to take part and contribute to outreach programmes such as Operation Earth is one of the aspects of my job that I enjoy the most. Talking about what you care about to a wider audience is always an exciting challenge. On a day to day basis, I love being surrounded by people doing completely different research, ranging from studying how life may have started on mars to the importance of jellyfish in carbon cycling.

What do you wish you had known before starting in this career?

I wish I had known that it is normal for things not to go as planned and that you can’t control everything. It seems obvious but it took a while to sink in!

What did you study at school?

At school, I was very much science focused. My favourite subject was Biology but I also took Chemistry, Maths and French. I went on to study Biology at Oxford University and absolutely loved it!

What inspired you into a career in science /engineering?

I have always felt drawn to marine wildlife and I have been scuba diving since the age of 10. When I watched the first Blue Planet as a child, I remember thinking that I wanted to be one of the people that studies and films all those amazing creatures. The sea and scuba diving are my two passions and I want to spend as much time as possible around the ocean, whether that’s in it or studying it! During my undergraduate years I spent 3 weeks as a research assistant on the RRS James Cook, a UK research vessel. The expedition was investigating deep sea corals in UK marine protected areas using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). It was a decisive moment for me. I enjoyed every second of it and have been convinced ever since that I wanted to pursue a career that would give me the opportunity to go on many more such expeditions.

What five top tips would you have for people wanting a job like yours?

1. Work hard! It really does pay off.

2. Be a keen bean. Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way! And seek out as many opportunities as you can.

3. Find a completely unrelated hobby that you love. We all need to switch off from time to time.

4. Don’t get too hung up when things don’t go as planned.

5. Ask too many rather than too little questions. You’ll never know if you never ask.