Sustainable oceans, sustainable skills - Celebrating World Ocean Day

The panel of marine experts explores the diverse and creative world of ocean science. Doing things in ocean science you wouldn’t have previously considered, they have tracked the provenance of seafood using geochemistry, and 3D-printed artificial coral reefs. They share how curiosity and a "STEAM" (STEM + Art) approach are essential for protecting our oceans and building a sustainable future.

More information about World Ocean Day can be found at worldoceanday.org.

Host: Tamara McGregor (IMNIS Coordinator at ATSE) 

Moderator: Dr Alistair Hobday FTSE (CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist) 

Guests:

• Dr Zoe Doubleday - ARC Future Fellow, University of South Australia
• Beth O’Sullivan - PhD Candidate in Marine Restoration & Elevate Scholar

Key Discussion Points

1. Non-linear & creative career paths

• Alistair [05:19]
• Zoe [10:35
• Beth [17:19]

2. Innovation in marine technology and research

• Australian marine research with the CSIRO RV Investigator [03:43] – www.csiro.au/en/about/facilities-collections/vessels/investigator
• Using the chemical composition of bones and shells to combat illegal fishing [13:10].
• 3D printing calcium carbonate reefs as a sustainable, low-carbon for artificial habitats [21:55].

3. Central science of the sea

• Time-lapse photography and 3D printing to observe how algae and organisms interact with man-made structures [24:13].
• Analysing critical data through citizen-science projects that can be done from anywhere [43:27] – http://www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/citizen-science/projects. 

4. Advice for Students & Educators [41:11]

• The power of reaching out to researchers whose work you admire to find volunteer opportunities.
• Focusing on broad STEM subjects in high school is better than over-specialising too early.
• Teacher opportunities through the CSIRO "Educator on Board" program to join research voyages – https://research.csiro.au/educator-on-board/

Notable Quotes

"It is a myth that the work we do is not creative... I actually do research in science communication and how we can tell our stories better." - Dr Zoe Doubleday

"Follow your curiosity and your interests... now more than ever, we need creative people in STEM." - Beth O’Sullivan

"The question I've pursued my whole career is: why do animals live where they do, and how do they cope with human pressures?" - Dr Alistair Hobday

Useful Links

• PADI Scuba certification: Mentioned by Beth as a pivotal tool for her underwater research - padi.com
• STELR Program (www.stelr.org.au): ATSE’s national STEM education initiative for schools 
• Elevate Scholarship (atse.org.au/elevate): A leadership scholarship supporting women in STEM, which Vanessa currently holds. 
• IMNIS Program (www.imnis.org.au): An industry mentoring network for PhD students.

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs9YqJdBQrs