5 Tips to Kick-Start your Marine Conservation Career

Getting a head start in your marine conservation career is not easy, but that does NOT mean it is impossible! Read on for a few of my top tips to help kick-start your career in marine conservation.

1. Volunteer

Get involved with a local clean up, citizen science or environmental organisation that will allow you to build essential skills and connections.

Whilst at university, I was part of the UQ Geography Society and in my last year was elected president by my peers. This not only strengthened my social and leadership skills, it also allowed me to build my abilities in logistics, event management and networking. We successfully organised camping trips, fundraisers, market stalls, plus social and professional networking events. We took the initiative to pull together (with the help of a wonderful team of course!) the society’s first ever industry night where university students had the chance to connect with industry

UQ Geography Society Camping Trip

professionals. It included a panel of speakers, career speed dating and social drinks and canapés. The entire event was sponsored by the attending companies, all made possible by the efforts of the wonderful volunteer team I was leading.

In addition, I was volunteering with Seagrass Watch Moreton Bay and the local community bushcare nursery. I was quite the busy bee, but this all meant I left university with not just a piece of paper, but a bunch of complimentary skills that prepared me well for my career.

2. Get an Internship

“How do I get experience if nobody will give me experience?“

When I finished university, every job I was applying for asked for experience. I didnt have any, so how was I meant to get any?
Internships – especially unpaid ones – can be a source of debate. From the employer’s perspective, it takes a lot of time and resources to train students. From the intern’s perspective, getting a feel for what it’s like to work in the “real world” can be extremely valuable, but is it worth giving your time for free? I am in two minds about this. I personally disagree with paying to volunteer, but trading time for new skills, industry experience, contacts and knowledge you didnt previously have is a huge gain (maybe even more so than financial compensation).

I believe your time, skills and knowledge should always be fairly compensated and I wasn’t quite priviledged enough to be able to support myself during an unpaid internship. I was lucky to (after a lot of hard work, persistence and thinking outside the box) find a paid internship position. It was a 6 month contract, after which the NGO I was working for offered me a full time contract as an employee!

3. Network

This one is HUGE! Not only in gaining possible career leads or jobs, but it is also a great way to meet a mentor or coach who can help guide and encourage you on your way.

Don’t ever underestimate the value of knowing someone who knows someone whose aunty’s grandma knows a friend whose distant cousin could help with a lead! For me, networking is something that I never really intentionally set out to do. I love people, so that certainly helped it happen naturally. My network was created through my volunteer positions, getting involved in other peoples projects, going to social events, joining dive clubs and just chatting to people and putting yourself out there as a friendly and enthusiastic human.

I spent about 3 months – almost full time- job searching when I finished university, to no avail. I was living in Switzerland at the time, where I did my last semester of university. Whilst job searching, I saw a conference about seagrass that was happening in the south of Spain, put on by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). My rental agreement was soon coming to an end and given that I hadnt yet found a job, I registered for the seagrass conference, booked a train and packed all of my things.

I spent 2 full days at the seagrass conference, where most presentations were in Spanish (I spoke very very basic Spanish at this time!). On one of the tea breaks, I was relieved to overhear someone speaking French, so I went and introduced myself for a chat. This man just happened to be the head of the Marine Conservation department at IUCN Malaga. He asked me what I was doing there and I told him the truth – I just finished university, love seagrass and was looking for a job, so decided to come and see what it was all about. He was impressed with my genuine eagerness and suggested I send my CV through… a few days later I went in for an interview and a month later I started my internship at the IUCN Mediterranean. I really do love seagrass!

4. Get an Edge

When I reflect back on the jobs I have had since graduating, I scored most of them not only thanks to my Marine

Science degree, but also my languages and additional skills. For my first job at the IUCN, as well as being a native english speaker, it was essential that I had some knowledge of Spanish and French, as these were the three official languages of the IUCN. My next job was in Tahiti – a French speaking territory of France, where I also did my professional diving qualifications (Divemaster and Instructor).

When I came back to work on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, I got a job as a Dive Instructor and Marine Biologist – a job I may not have secured with the Marine Science qualification alone. Languages, dive instructing, driving a boat, IT skills and first aid qualifications are all huge value ads that can set you apart when you are up against so many other candidates.

Travel has also been extremely valuable in building skills related to my lanuages, alternative thinking, problem solving and a greater awareness and understanding of diverse socio-cultural-political contexts.

5. Persist

Whats the number one piece of advice I give anyone considering a career in Marine Science?

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t!!!

“It’s a hard field to get into, there are not many jobs, it’s not well paid, so many people want to do it“. My whole life I have been presented with reasons why I can’t or shouldn’t. The best thing you can do is use these doubts as fuel to drive your determination to succeed. Follow up on emails, call and call again, make yourself present, and keep trying until you get where you want to go.

Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Always believe in yourself!

Feel free to send me a message or leave a comment if you have any questions or would like to chat about a career in Marine Science.

Interview with Kaushman: Careers in conservation

by Lovisa Lund

Written by: Bennath Chillingworth

From July-September 2022, I spent 6 weeks living in Mozambique while volunteering as a field assistant with Love the Oceans (LTO). LTO is a non-profit organisation that works tirelessly to support the community in Jangamo Bay in establishing a Marine Protected Area for the Inhamabane province in Mozambique. While I was there, I was lucky to have met some incredibly interesting, and boundlessly inspiring people who are exceptionally good at what they do, having made huge contributions to the industry. One of these people is @Kausman, who I was fortunate enough to cross paths with during my time in Mozambique.

Interview with Kaushman: Careers in conservation

Instagram: @kaushman

Kaush is a wildlife conservation biologist (MSc), having conducted fieldwork projects in several diverse environments ranging from South African scrubland to Maldivian coral reefs. Additionally, as a camera operator and award-nominated photographer, Kaush has worked with conservation organisation outlets such as the BBC to shed light on conservation efforts worldwide. You can find out more about Kaush on his website at https://kaush.net/. Read my interview with Kaush below where we talk about his career and achievements to give a flavour of, and insight into the world of marine conservation, and hopefully provide advice to aspiring marine biologists and conservationists of any age! And stay tuned for the sequel blog where Kaush talks about his new film ‘Peixinho’ which
was filmed while I was also out in Mozambique!

How did you get to where you are now?

“I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to work with wildlife since I was a child, I just didn’t always know in what capacity. After I finished my BSc, I went straight into doing a master’s degree in wildlife conservation. It made sense to do that in order to learn more about the techniques and practices used in the field to carry out conservation in different scenarios around the world. For my thesis, I arranged to go and research whale shark eco-tourism in the Maldives with a charity that was carrying out some amazing work. After I came back from that experience, I finished my MSc and the charity asked me back the following year to be their research assistant in the field. I spent three months studying whale sharks that year and adding to my data set from the previous year, as well as getting more into underwater photography and videography. Shortly after I returned home from that stint, the world was thrown into a pandemic, and I had a lot of time to work on my photo and video editing skills as well as to write up the data that I had collected. My initial BBC job came after applying for a few jobs and one BBC producer looked at my research background and recommended me to another producer for an upcoming documentary series that was in the works. I started as a researcher, using my science background and research skills to contact scientists and find potential stories to film.”

Instagram: @kaushman

What interested you most/ what did you most enjoy about your master’s course?

“The thing that interested me most was the module that we had on “Conservation Communication”.
It taught us a lot about how amazing conservation efforts in the past had gone unheard of by the masses and how important consideration messages had been missed due to them being poorly communicated and broadcast to the vast majority of people. It also underlined the importance of social media and photos/images in the present day, as tools for communicating conservation efforts and this really resonated with me as someone who already had a passion for this kind of media.”

What was your master’s thesis on?

“My thesis research focused on whale shark eco-tourism in the Maldives and the impact that it has on whale shark health. The area of the Maldives that I did my research in is one of the only places in the world where there is a year-round population of whale sharks, and this drives a huge demand for tourist excursions to swim with them. My research focused on the impacts of breaking the code of conduct rules for whale shark encounters on the sharks.

What was it like working for the BBC?

“Working for the BBC was amazing and in many ways, a dream come true. I worked as a researcher on a documentary series that is in the works at the moment. Using my science background to read papers, search for interesting animal behaviours and to talk to scientists about potentially interesting stories that we could go out and film. After a potential story was found and talked through with the team, I’d then lease with my producer and start the process of organising the shoot and the logistics of it all. It was an incredible experience and a huge learning curve about the industry. I was really lucky to have an amazingly supportive team who helped me every step of the way as I was thrown into the deep end a bit with it being my first job in the industry, but the team was just amazing.”

What are some of the proudest moments from your career so far/ moments that remind you how
much you have achieved?

“Landing a job at the BBC is definitely up there as that is something that I had been working at for so long. Having two of my images shortlisted in the upcoming Wildlife Photographer Of The Year was a special moment for me as well. Being an amateur photographer when I took the selected images, and it being the most prestigious wildlife photography competition in the world, I really hope that my nominations for the award can inspire others to go out and pursue their passion for photography. The other stand-out moment of the last year has to be screening of my short film about coral reefs in the cinema room of the BBC for my friends and colleagues. It was amazing to showcase my work to people who are at the top of the natural history filming industry and to get such great feedback from
them, and it really served to highlight how much progress I’d made in terms of my editing during the months and months of pandemic lockdowns.”

Instagram: @kaushman

I felt very inspired by the people I met in Mozambique, including Madeline StClair, Francesca Trotman, and Ines Costa, my program leader. What is it like being in such a close group of friends that are all such amazing, high-achieving marine biologists?

“It really is amazing having such talented friends like Chess and Mads, who are also incredibly supportive. Being able to collaborate so seamlessly and then also be a part of each other’s personal lives after long days at work is such a help in a field that can be extremely stressful at times. Meeting someone as passionate about the field and so accomplished at such a young age as Ines was incredible and great to meet such a nice person. The marine sector is so small, and we are all trying to achieve the same goal in conserving the oceans, it is amazing when we can work together and support each other’s projects.”

What advice do you have for young aspiring marine biologists/ conservationists such as myself wanting to get into the field when there is so much competition?

“It is a very hard industry to break into, especially at the new grad/early careers stage so you’re going to get a lot of rejections for jobs but that is just part of the process, and you can’t take it to heart. Keep applying for jobs/internships etc and try to gain as much valuable experience as you can until someone takes a chance on you. In the meantime, work on your current skillset so that you’re sharp and work on learning new skills that will make you stand out above the rest. We live in the age of the internet, where learning a new skill is just a few clicks away.”

Visit https://kaush.net/ for more information, and make sure you give @kaushman a follow on socials.

The most important event of the year, coral spawning.

by Lovisa Lund

We are awaiting the most important event of the year, coral spawning.

Coral reefs are fragile, and we have seen a decline in reef health around the world in the past years. Coral reefs are sensitive to warmer temperatures, increased wave actions and weather events and these are all consequences of a changing climate.

Yet, coral reefs are resilient. Despite the challenges, the reefs around the world experience, the corals on the reef continue to reproduce and naturally recover.

Once a year a remarkable natural phenomenon takes place on the Great Barrier Reef, coral spawning. The biggest reproduction show on Earth.

When the conditions are ideal, corals simultaneously release eggs and sperm bundles into the water.

This amazing video is produced by our friend, Tiani Dun.

Long term monitoring of the reef by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), has shown that the majority of the Great Barrier Reef has recorded its highest level of coral coverage in over three decades. This is an indication of the widespread recovery of the biggest organism on Earth. Isn’t that just amazing? Read their annual summary report on coral reef condition 2021-22 report here.

According to Dr Dean Miller, marine biologist and director of the Great Barrier Reef Legacy, a successful spawning event means the reef is in a state of recovery and repair. “In 2021, we had the best coral spawning event since 2016”. Today, we can only wish for another astonishing and successful spawning event to bring new life and new corals to settle on the Great Barrier Reef.

This yearly event gives me hope. Despite the challenges the GBR is undergoing, there is a sign of new life on the way. Let’s cheer for that!

We can’t wait to witness this spectacular event. And hey, look out on your socials. I’m sure there will be plenty of amazing videos and photos shared by underwater photographers and lucky divers.

The most important event of the year, coral spawning.

Photo cred: Pablo Cogollos

Reduce your Ecological Footprint: Off-Grid Living

by Natalie Lobartolo

How could we be connected to the reef when we’re on the other side of the world, in Spain?

In March 2020, I witnessed a minor bleaching event on the southern Great Barrier Reef. My coral friends I had been visiting and falling more and more in love with every day for nearly three years, started to show signs of stress. One day they were fine, the next, they were looking a little pale.

What could I do about it, i asked myself as I floated helplessly above the (still) gorgeous reefscape?

Some corals paling during the 2020 bleaching event on the southern Great Barrier Reef

The truth is, no matter how many coral surveys I did, or how much data I submitted, when I saw the darling reef before me, partly paling,

“there was absolutely NOTHING I could do in that moment… except cry in my mask.”

This is when I realised how truly CONNECTED everything is. How what we do on land, anywhere in the world, can impact coral reefs. So, what actions can we take to dissipate such extreme human impacts on the climate? I’m rolling with the “extreme” rather than “little” changes option, and have set out to discover, LIVE and share more of these solutions. Having just spent two weeks on an off-grid farm in Spain, below I share my exploration and learnings of some ways I can further reduce my ecological footprint.

Here are 4 key areas I lived and learned about to reduce my footprint.

1. ENERGY

We had solar panels and storage batteries. Totally off-grid, there was no mains power or water supplies to the property. Totally self-sufficient (and free from crazy electricity price hikes!!!). I not only appreciated every bit of charging power, every little light, and a (sometimes) working fridge, but also learned lots about electricity capture and storage: cells, currents, converters, you name it. Life school, very valuable knowledge and skills to have.

2. WATER

“Did you know that 90% of the cost of plastic bottled water is the cost of the bottle itself? Think about it: bottled water companies don’t make water, they make plastic bottles!!”

Creating plastic bottles requires energy and oil, then they need to be transportes to a store where thirsty people can buy them. Let’s not even start to talk about the tiny percentage of plastic water bottles that actually get recycled! Enough ranting, you get my drift!

My first day on the farm, I helped set up a solar hot water system from an old recycled panel and storage system. We were able to fill up a lovely bucket of hot water to scrub our grubby selves at the end of a long hard day of work. We also set up a new water tank, excavating the ground with digging tools to ensure the tanks would capture rainwater redirected from the roof.

No running water on the property meant showering “birdbath” style (with a bucket), a very specific dish washing strategy and close-to-essential teamwork to simply wash your hands!
We collected supplies of precious drinking water from a fountain in town (that ran down and was captured directly from the clean mountain streams!).

“Drinking Water”

Collecting Drinking Wate

3. DIET

90% of our food on the farm came from the work of our own hands, or at least locally. We bought a little rice, lentils and pasta – basic staples to compliment all the wonderful fresh produce we grew and harvested ourselves. We had mediterranean veggies galore: eggplants, capsicums, tomatoes, chillies. We feasted on melons and persimmons (a deliciously sweet mediterranean fruit something like a cross between a mangoe, plum and very juicy sweet tomatoe!). Sure, it didnt all look as perfectly squeaky clean, blemish-free and shiny as the “food” you find at the supermarket, but goodness the tomatoes REALLY tasted like tomatoes!!

Olives were harvested to pickle and make our own olive oil, and almonds banged off our trees to munch on and make almond milk. What a dream! Have you ever seen what almonds look like straight off the tree? Do you know the origins of what you eat?

Freshly Harvested Almonds

I had the bizarre reflection of how crazy it was to be SO excited about collecting all of our food with my bare hands. I realised how disconnected I have been to the source of my tucker my whole life. Here, there were no pesticides, no heavy machinery, no processing belts, no factories, no big trucks to transport supplies to the shops, and of course, no plastic packaging!!! Organic and fresh, from farm to table (and on many occasions from farm to mouth!!!).

4. WASTE

We of course composted all of our food waste, but that’s not all! We pooped into a dry composting toilet, and even our own poop was used as a valuable fertiliser (feel free to cringe if you like, but then take a moment to think about how much water and energy is wasted flushing and processing human waste!).

Dry Composting Toilet, built with 100% recycled materials

Dry Composting Toilet and Water Capture & Storage System

All kinds of building materials, old cupboards, windows, planks, pipes and pallettes that people had thrown out as “waste” soon became our treasure.

Sure, you might be thinking “WOW, that IS pretty extreme, I definitely couldn’t imagine myself living that way”. Even if you don’t choose to make any changes, I hope this sparks some reflection or ideas for some of the little (if not extreme) changes you can make in your every day life to feel more connected to your self, nature, food, water and everything we are so lucky to have readily available at our fingertips.

“As I travel around, I am astounded by how many people think the reef is dead, and I am on a mission to share the truth about the health of the reef (as witnessed with my own eyes!) as well as awareness of how crucial it is that we take many little (or extreme, if you so wish!) actions to change the fate of the natural world (coral reefs included)!

5 Tips to Kick-Start your Marine Conservation Career

1. Volunteer

2. Get an Internship

3. Network

4. Get an Edge

5. Persist