I became interested in marine biology from about
the age of seven.
Every holiday was getting I-spy books about rock pooling,
turning over rocks and learning all the names of things.
When I first joined BAS before I went South I had
comprehensive training - learning all about the Antarctic,
advanced first aid and also dentistry - because obviously
you're in a very remote place and it's very hard to get you
out especially during the Winter.
At times I'm camping on the island with just one other
person so if they get into trouble I'm their first call of
help so you get trained in almost everything that you need.
I work on South Georgia - we have to get there by ship
from the Falkland Islands and my research is
predominantly on fur seals, but I work in a team which
also looks at penguins and albatrosses.
What we're trying to do is build up a picture of these
animals; where they forage at sea and how the populations
are doing - whether they're increasing or decreasing.
The lab work we do in South Georgia is pretty basic - we
only have a small laboratory - so I bring a lot of samples
back to Cambridge where I can do much more
sophisticated DNA analysis, looking at genetics and also
fatty acid analysis using chromatography.
Our research feeds into Government policy which then
helps sustainable fisheries in the Antarctic which then
don't damage the predator populations of the Antarctic.
