I studied for my PhD at Cambridge University investigating the lives and loves of a fish called the Napoleon wrasse or humphead wrasse, a rare & endangered coral reef giant. I’m now a marine science consultant specialising in the international wildlife trade, marine habitat protection and biodiversity assessment.

My studies and research have taken me around the world to Malaysian Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Belize, and Australia.

For the past 10 years (with my PhD somewhere in the middle) I’ve worked for various conservation groups including WWF, IUCN, TRAFFIC, and Natural England. My…

I write about the oceans, the natural world, and science in general in an assortment of traditional and contemporary media spanning books, blogs, websites and magazines.

My first book is about seahorses (Poseidon’s Steed, the story of seahorses from myth to reality. Penguin books). I wrote it because I wanted to dig into the strange fascination people have with these little animals – after all, seahorses are just fish.  I wanted to explain how and why male seahorses get pregnant (and no, that doesn’t make them female. Read my book to find out…

I’m a scuba diver and free diver. I try and get myself beneath the waves whenever I can.

I learned to dive in England (my first dive was at Stony Cove in March, in a 7mm semi dry suit… and even that wasn’t enough to put me off the whole thing), spent 2 years sploshing around the chilly waters of my home island before heading off to find out what tropical diving was all about.

Since then I trained in Australia as a PADI Divemaster and explored cold and warm waters around the world…

I am an independent radio presenter and producer.

You’ll hear me regularly on BBC Radio 4, answering listeners’ questions on Home Planet and chasing after endangered wildlife on Saving Species. I also make my debut this year in comedy radio (which was terrifying but a lot of fun) as a panelist on the Museum of Curiosity.

I’m a member of the award-winning science collective known as the Naked Scientists, based out of Cambridge University. In 2010, I hijacked the radio show and sailed off into the wide blue yonder to launch Naked Oceans, a…

Whenever I get the chance I love to get up on stage to give talks, lectures, and presentations on a variety of ocean and science topics for audiences ranging from children to academics to childish academics. Do please get in touch if you have an event you’d like me to speak at.

Past talks & lectures:

Frontline Club, London. Festival of the Spoken Nerd, London. Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida. Cambridge Science Festival. Royal Geographical Society, Monday night lecture. Cambridge University Alumni tour of Madagascar: assistant guest lecturer.