I originally trained as an architect, but always wanted to be a marine biologist. When the opportunity arose in the late 1990s I chose to return to university as a mature student to follow this dream. I achieved a first class honours degree from the University of Hull and went on to complete my PhD on Antarctic Intertidal Communities with the British Antarctic Survey in 2007. During this time I spent two summer seasons at the British Base at Rothera on Adelaide Island on the Antarctic Peninsula. Since then I have worked as a lecturer at the Universities of  Brighton and Hull and have made numerous trips to both the Arctic and Antarctic. My current research focuses on the impacts of plastics  (especially microplastics)  on the marine environment and food-webs, but also encompasses the movement of non-native species into Polar Regions and how to manage these problems.

Language spoken: English

Photo credit: Charles Waller