What first drew you to science, fisheries, or the ocean?
Growing up between coastal Connecticut and my family’s home country of Greece, I felt constantly immersed in the beauty of the ocean and how different it can look like between geographic domains. A natural curiosity from a young age evolved into an understanding that marine science could be a viable career path for me in high school when I began participating in scientific internships. Knowing that I could spend my days learning more about the natural world around me & have a stake in ensuring that these ecosystems stay preserved was a huge “aha moment.” The guiding light throughout my career has been chasing that feeling that I can make a positive difference for the places, people, & animals I grew up in & around.
What part of your work makes you feel proud or hopeful?
In my work at OceanX, I feel particularly hopeful about the future of heat-tolerant coral reefs in the Red Sea and the implications that has for global reef health. From our mission collaborations with the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) to better understand these unique, thriving reefs, there is a greater spotlight on ocean success stories and cases of healthy reefs to inform the preservation of more at-risk ecosystems elsewhere.
What are some of the most significant challenges women or girls face in science in your context?
As an early career ocean professional, I operate with the understanding that there is a “leaky pipeline” for women in marine science. We make up only 13-24% of senior management & leadership positions while female researchers represent about 39% of the overall marine science workforce. This unfortunate statistic makes me work even harder to have a longstanding career in this field and I hope to contribute to closing the gender gap in the future.
