Dr Vanessa Pirotta is a wildlife scientist, science communicator and ‘Superstar of STEM’. Vanessa’s achievements in wildlife conservation, research and science communication have led to wide acclaim in recent years, including being the national Winner of FameLab (and 2nd globally); recognised as a Top 100 Women of Influence by the Australian Financial Review and a Superstar of STEM with Science and Technology Australia. Vanessa’s research efforts include a focus on whales, and how novel technologies can help capture new information about the biology and behaviour of these magnificent creatures. Vanessa has received global awareness and acclaim through a pioneering methodology that uses drones to capture whale ‘snot’, a technique that can replace more invasive approaches and lead to a range of new insights otherwise difficult to ascertain. In this podcast recorded live on Instagram, Vanessa shares her inspirational story about how a young woman from regional Australia can embark on a passion-fuelled journey to become a globally recognised and celebrated ocean researcher and science communicator. For anyone driven to make a positive difference on Planet Ocean this is sure to captivate and motivate. With Vanessa’s passion for ocean science, communication and innovative technologies you can bet we’ll be keeping close tabs on her future efforts. Keep up the great work Vanessa! For more information please visit: Vanessa Pirotta website: https://www.vanessapirotta.com/ Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drvanessapirotta Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvanessapirotta/ Footage of Vanessa discussing whale snot capture using drone technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PXgFoTtwi0 Vanessa’s TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PXgFoTtwi0 Footage of humpback whales ‘bubble’ feeding in Southern NSW, Australia: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-13/whales-filmed-feeding-off-nsw-sapphire-coast/100457078