I received an M.Sc. in Marine Environmental Protection from Bangor University in 2014, where I studied the effect of increased suspended sediment concentrations on the reef-forming horse mussel, Modiolus modiolus in relation to scallop dredging, and specialised in courses on fisheries science.
After graduating, I volunteered with various marine conservation charities in the UK, working on topics such as science communication, invasive species and marine plastics. In 2015 I joined one of the UK’s regional inshore marine regulators where I was responsible for the designation and management of a fisheries no-take zone to protect inshore nursery areas for local commercial fish species. The project ran in close partnership with the local fishermen’s organisation to draft legislation and create a long-term management plan.