Outreach is how scientists connect with non-scientists, including the public, decision makers, environmental managers, the media, and students. Most of my outreach work involves policy makers, and you can find out about that here. My outreach and policy publications are listed here.
Some recent highlights include delivering a TEDx talk, publishing a feature in The Conversation, and working on Earth Echo with Philippe Cousteau.
My students inspire me and I hope to inspire future marine scientists through formal lecturing, project supervision and general outreach. I was the winner of the Seavision UK My Maritime World Competition in 2013 for enthusing and informing the next generation of marine scientists with my two minute video entry ‘From plankton to policy’. I served as a council member of the Challenger Society for Marine Science, the voice of the UK marine science community. My involvement with the Challenger Society provides me with the unique opportunity to interact with UK and international marine scientists of all levels, from students to prestigious researchers, across all disciplines.
Scientists are more than just our work, so my Twitter feed, displayed here, contains personal as well as work-related tweets. I think it’s important to show the public that scientists are human, with diverse interests and personalities. My desire to change the way scientists are viewed by non-scientists, and even other scientists, also lead me to participate in the ‘This is what a scientist looks like‘ project, which aims to break down scientific stereotypes.
Media engagements:
2022
• TEDx talk: The Breath-Giving Beauty of Bioluminescence, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkqei3ZxS5I&feature=youtu.be• TEDx talk: The Breath-Giving Beauty of Bioluminescence, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkqei3ZxS5I&feature=youtu.be
2021
• “Inside the world of tiny phytoplankton – microscopic algae that provide most of our oxygen”, The Conversation, April 2021 https://theconversation.com/inside-the-world-of-tiny-phytoplankton-microscopic-algae-that-provide-most-of-our-oxygen-159955
- “Drifting into trouble? The tiny ocean creatures with a global impact”, Oct 2021
- https://jen.jiji.com/jc/i_afp?k=20211105042238a
- https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211026-drifting-into-trouble-the-tiny-ocean-creatures-with-a-global-impact
- https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/10/25/world/plankton-oceans-climate-change/
- https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/drifting-into-trouble-the-tiny-ocean-creatures-with-a-global-impact/news-story/eb791268ab965c1f5e07e1f376eb330f
- https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2203759/drifting-into-trouble-tiny-ocean-creatures-with-a-global-impact
- “Innovative plankton monitoring tool holds key to assessing health of ocean life”
2020
- “The Hunger Games for life in our warmer sea”, Western Morning News, 28 Jan 2020
- “Towards equality in ecology”, Ecology for the Masses, 10 Feb 2020 https://ecologyforthemasses.com/2020/02/10/towards-equality-in-ecology-bes-edition/
- “Study shows six decades of change in plankton communities”, Science Magazine (web), 1 April 2020
- “Study reveals climate impact on plankton”, The National (Scotland), 2 April 2020
- “Plankton changes have impacted ecosystem around UK coastline, study suggests”, Press Association, 2 April 2020
- “Plankton hit by ‘huge changes’”, The Herald, 2 April 2020
- “Shift in ocean life discovered”, The Herald (Plymouth), 4 April 2020
- “We’re plankrupt”, The Sun, 6 April 2020
- “Huge changes to UK plankton population”, Fishing News UK, 7 May 2020
- “Channelling a Bloom”, NASA Earth Observatory, 25 June 2020 https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146897/channeling-a-bloom
- “Pictures from space bode well for life on Earth”, Western Morning News, 1 July 2020
- “NASA records large bloom of phytoplankton close to island”, Guernsey Press, 2 July 2020
- “Blooming good spring for algae”, The Times, 8 July 2020
- “Weather eye”, The Times, 8 July 2020
2019
- ”Small boats may be left high and dry after Brexit” , Western Morning News, 22 Jan 2019
- “Science research programme launched to inform Defra policy making”, WiredGov, 6 May 2019
- “Defra takes ‘systems thinking approach’ to pressing environmental issues”, The Water Report, 6 May 2019
- “Defra launches science research programme to inform policy-making”, AgriLand, 7 May 2019
- Invited collaborator for Phillippe Cousteau’s Earth Echo expedition ‘What’s the Catch?’ as a plankton and policy expert, August 2019Earth Echo Establish Our Fisheries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=7A43-tM0ezE&feature=emb_logo
- Earth Echo STEM Career Close up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=UlQk7b9hxZY&feature=emb_logo
- “Focus on Brexit: Resigned but resolute”, Ecology for the Masses, 11 Dec 2019 https://ecologyforthemasses.com/2019/12/11/focus-on-brexit-at-bes2019-resigned-but-resolute/
- “Abigail McQuatters-Gollop: How will Brexit effect Europe’s oceans?”, Ecology for the Masses, 9 Dec 2019 https://ecologyforthemasses.com/2019/12/09/abigail-mcquatters-gollop-how-will-brexit-affect-europes-oceans/
2018
- “International collaboration is essential for good of our seas”, Western Morning News, 12 Sept 2018
2014 – present
- Curator of blog and website Plankton and Policy: https://planktonpolicy.org/
2012
- Invited guest blogger (Plankton and Policy) for Research in Action. University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
- Research featured in New Scientist magazine
- Featured on ‘This is what a scientist looks like’ blog about breaking down science stereotypes
2011
- Interview by Louie Psihoyos, director, for his documentary film Racing Extinction.
Plankton and Policy 