Hello everyone, I’m Josh one of this years North-East Marine Futures Interns. I’ve always loved coastal and marine habitats, spending as much time as possible on family holidays in nearby rockpools. More recently I have volunteered performing sand dune and seagrass meadow surveying in Greece (whilst also spending most of my free time snorkelling with the sea turtles!), cetacean and seabird surveying as well as my own independent research into the impact of humans on UK bird response times.
Alongside all of these experiences I completed a BSc in Zoology at the University of Sheffield and a MSc in Marine Biology at Bangor University. I loved learning about the massive variety of animal behaviours and how every species and individual has its own niche but also about the state of our planet and why its so important to help conserve it. I was also able to study the camouflage ability of sand gobies in my MSc dissertation which created a real appreciation for the complexity of life on earth and made me even more passionate about conserving it.
I’m so grateful and excited for this opportunity as a marine futures intern. It will be a great experience not only getting a wide variety of experiences within the marine sector but also being able to engage with the local community and spread my appreciation for the marine environment. I can’t wait to begin working with everyone at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, The Crown Estate, Ørsted and Natural England and share all about the things I’m doing and learning during the internship on this blog.
Josh
Hi there, I’m Ryan, and I am pleased to introduce myself as one of the new marine future interns. My time at the University of Plymouth has given me a great appreciation for the sea and the life that lives within it. During my time there, I achieved both, a bachelors degree in BA Geography and a masters in Sustainable Environmental Management. It was during the year of my masters that I realised that I wanted to pursue a career in the marine conservation sector.
In my dissertation, I investigated how vulnerable communities could be more prominently and fairly engaged in marine issues to achieve sustainable marine development. To help me conduct this project, I engaged with the MarSocSciPlym group, a group of experts in the field of marine social science. With their support, I developed my knowledge and understanding of how society interacts with the marine environment and of what we need to do to ensure that we have healthy and vibrant seas for years to come.
To build up practical knowledge in the sector, I have undertaken a placement at Arc Marine, an eco-engineering company. This was a really interesting experience as I got to see and assist various aspects of the business. I conducted water quality analysis to see if their coastal defense projects are producing suitable water parameters for marine life. I also assisted their marketing apartment, writing blogs and posts that highlighted the ability of their products to both, industry and wider audiences.
I am really excited about taking this huge step and learning more about the sector with the help of all the partners. I am particularly looking forward to learning about the management of the North Sea, an area that is at the height of marine innovation and biologically so diverse. Thank you to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and the Crown Estate, as well as Natural England and Ørsted. I cannot wait to get started!
Ryan
