Episodes
So, so much has been covered in 100 episodes. Here we recap some of the most important topics covered. Full transcript: marinebio.life/100 Register for the Rising Tides Container: a four month, 1:1 mentorship program (Registration closed 2/28) Support the showClick here for your copy of the "Scuba for Beginners" ebook Get your copy of my FREE guide "Be a Marine Biologist WITHOUT the degree" Join Patreon Join my email newsletter Check out the @marinebio.life Instagram
Published 02/22/23
Melissa Cristina Márquez is a marine science education expert, TEDx speaker, author, and podcast host currently finishing her doctoral degree. She has been featured in NPR, Allure, InStyle, GQ, Seeker, Popular Science, and appeared on Disney+, BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Acciona, and Good Morning America. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Mexico, Melissa has worked at the forefront of marine science education and communication for over a decade, her work taking her all over...
Published 02/08/23
Emily Velasquez is a student who currently lives in Mozambique. Though a newcomer to the country, she’s followed her curiosity to help answer some of the most pressing questions that this region- and the world- faces. From mangrove reforestation to using red algae in cattle feed to reduce methane emissions, Emily’s projects and goals are wide ranging with positive, long-lasting implications. Show Notes: marinebio.life/98 Support the showClick here for your copy of the "Scuba for Beginners"...
Published 01/25/23
Andrea Richey is the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Shark Foundation. After decades as a corporate lawyer, Andrea realized that she wanted to give back more in life, and found her passion in saving sharks in the very epicenter of the shark fin trade. Through her work, Andrea has educated thousands of students, created lasting change in her community, and, through her TED talk, reached thousands more. One of the biggest takeaways from Andrea’s story is that you don’t have to have a degree...
Published 01/11/23
William Trubridge is the world’s deepest man, with an unassisted freediving record to 102m or 334 feet. He holds eighteen freediving records and six world champion titles, and is able to hold his breath for over seven minutes. He has spent an extraordinary amount time in and around the ocean in his lifetime, completing nearly unfathomable underwater challenges. William offers a fascinating way of translating his freediving techniques into the everyday world and he shares them here. Show...
Published 12/28/22
Divya Karnad is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Ashoka University in India. The focus of her work is marine conservation and fisheries management. She won the global Future for Nature Award in recognition for her work with InSeason Fish, a sustainable seafood initiative that she founded.  Divya is published in scientific journals like Ambio, Biological Conservation, Conservation Biology, Marine Policy and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and offers a...
Published 12/14/22
Brooke Lynn Elzweig is an engineer and a marine biologist. Growing up, marine science took center stage with school projects focused on the ocean and marine science sleep away camps. When it came time for higher education, Brooke chose to pursue engineering in a land-locked state. The siren song of the sea is a powerful one, and after graduation, Brooke found herself once more back in the marine science realm. This time, she’s traveling overseas to Saudi Arabia as a Project Coordinator for...
Published 11/30/22
Erich Hoyt has spent much of his life on or beside the ocean, working with whales and dolphins. He is a noted conservationist, scientist, and an award-winning author, he actually wrote the first ever book on Orcas, or Killer Whales. A former Vannevar Bush Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Erich is currently a research fellow at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, co-chair of the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, and author of the new book "PLANKTONIA: The nightly...
Published 11/16/22
Maddy McAllister is the Senior Curator for Maritime Archaeology at James Cook University and the Museum of Tropical Queensland. In her words, Maddy is a maritime archeologist and shipwreck detective.  In today’s episode we chat about the ghost story that inspired Maddy’s career, how technology has helped shape the archeology field, how to identify a shipwreck, and why telling these stories is so important. Show Notes: marinebio.life/92 Support the showClick here for your copy of the "Scuba...
Published 11/02/22
Stephan Abel is the the President and CEO of Ferry Cove Shellfish, an oyster hatchery located along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Starting off his career, Stephan didn’t even consider going into natural sciences or natural resources at all. In fact, he was military. In today’s episode, Stephan shares his story, transitioning from flying helicopters for the US Navy to working for big name start ups like Sallie-Mae and Career Builder before taking the leap into the world of...
Published 10/19/22
Chris Maingot is an ocean engineer and physical oceanographer. Growing up in South Florida, Chris always felt at home in the water and- after a slight deviation down the path of pre-med- decided to pursue a career in the ocean. Today we chat about what an ocean engineer is, what a physical oceanographer does, and about some crazy ocean phenomenon including waves underneath the waves- nature is wild. Scuba for Beginners Show Notes Support the showClick here for your copy of the "Scuba for...
Published 10/05/22
For four decades, Dr. Megan Davis has been working with the iconic queen conch in Florida and all over the Caribbean. In today’s episode, Megan shares how at age 16, she knew she wanted to do conch aquaculture, and how she’s been at the forefront of conch science and aquaculture since. Megan shares how conch is being restored all over the Caribbean, some crazy facts about the iconic species, and what a conch pearl looks like. Her passion for these shelled creatures is contagious; you’re in...
Published 09/21/22
Dr. Joshua Voss is the Executive Director of NOAA's Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology and an Associate Research Professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. His research interests? Coral. In today’s episode, we chat about coral reefs, both shallow and mesophotic (or slightly deeper water), their health, how they’re explored. Josh is a certified technical rebreather diver and scuba instructor who has completed over 1500...
Published 09/07/22
Outdoor environmental educator Amy Osborne joins us on the show today. Starting her career as a rowing coach, Amy discovered her passion for teaching- and particularly teaching the outdoors- a little bit later in life. This led her to the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Wyoming, and California. It also gave her the opportunity with PolarTrec to conduct research at McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica, something we chat about quite a bit today. Amy shares what life on the ice is like, how this...
Published 08/24/22
Film-maker, broadcaster, photographer, and outdoor swimmer Calum Maclean joins us on the podcast today. Calum is a host on the BBC Social, and has his own wildly popular YouTube, Instagram, and now TikTok channels. His new book, “1001 Outdoor Swimming Tips” is written to get people out in and excited about being submerged in nature. Today’s episode is a fun one chatting about all things swimming outside- in both the ocean and freshwater bodies. Calum shares insights into what it’s like...
Published 08/10/22
Entrepreneur, marine biologist, educator, and dive instructor, Danél Wentzel joins us on the show. Danél shares her journey from landlocked farmland in rural South Africa to becoming an instructor with over 600 dives under her belt, four minute breath holds, and her own show and company. As a self proclaimed “freelance marine biologist” Danél has some incredible stories and experiences to share, including surviving a shark attack (you’ll have to listen to the end for that one!) show notes :...
Published 07/27/22
Past SYWTBAMB intern Aislinn Olthoff joins us on the show today! Inspired by nature around her and Jane Goodall, Aislinn took a gap year after high school in order to figure out where her interests lie. A pivotal volunteer opportunity working with elephants in Asia firmly pointed her to her degree in Wildlife Conservation. Not one to sit idylly by, Aislinn did quite a bit of traveling and work during her undergrad, including to Costa Rica, Africa, and Paris. Then she decided to turn her focus...
Published 07/13/22
With an undergraduate, two masters under her belt, Constance Schéré is currently working on her PhD studying MPAs. In this super wide ranging episode we chat about how Constance went from a history degree to studying marine science and then conservation, how growing up next to a marine protected area influences her work now, and how she’s brought it full circle. We leap all over the pond, from Constance's native France to the US to Northern Ireland, and we also chat about the difference...
Published 06/29/22
Isobel Yeo is a marine volcanologist, which means she studies volcanoes underwater. Volcanoes are found everywhere, and we really don’t know that much about them. Today, Izzy and I chat about why it can actually be easier to study space than the ocean, and what field work really looks like including playing with ROVs and seeing fish with feet in thousands of feet of water. We chat about blue mining and what that means and how we, in our everyday lives, impact it. Izzy also explains the...
Published 06/15/22
If you’ve listened to episode 2 of the podcast, you’ve already heard Jessica’s story and the genesis of her research. Today, we start right where we left off in that episode. Jessica shares a few of her many exciting projects including identifying and describing a third species of manta, tagging the mantas, and future projects with guitarfish. We chat about how the manta project has evolved from bowriding to droning, how it's grown from a side project to full time endeavor, and how Jessica’s...
Published 06/01/22
IT guru at PEW Charitable Trusts, Dawn Borg Costanzi joins us on the SYWTBAMB podcast. Her job? To help track international fisheries. Which wasn't what she thought she would do initially. Originally, Dawn was going to go into software design. In this episode, we chat about how the fishing world captivated Dawn’s interest and how she’s navigated working for private entities and a large NGO. We chat about how vessels are tracked, both on the water and in port, IUU fishing, and why her work is...
Published 05/18/22
Brandon Doheny is a marine scientist, diver, and sailor. Our conversation today ranges from crazy two hundred plus foot dives to eDNA sampling to teaching technology to identify sea creatures. Currently Brandon is on an extended sailing trip with his family, sailing from California to New Zealand, so of course we chat a bit about this adventure. Show Notes: marinebio.life/79 Support the show
Published 05/04/22
We’re diving into the wonderful world of seaweeds! My guest today is Allison Poklemba, environmental educator, botanist, and herbalist. Allison shares how plants have fascinated her from a young age, why her move across the country for university was the financially responsible choice, and how she incorporated both botany and herbalism into her career. Allison puts a few different species of kelp on highlight today including bullwhip kelp and wakame. She shares how kelp will actually devour...
Published 04/20/22
Dr. Andia Fonnegra Chavez studies sponges and their interactions on reefs at Florida Atlantic University.. In today’s fascinating conversation, Andia shares her story falling in love with the ocean growing up in Colombia, and how she ultimately ended up in the States. We chat about how sponges are important members of the reef building and maintenance crew, how most of the color you see on reefs are in fact sponges, the importance of following your own path, and so much more. Andia’s...
Published 04/06/22