HWDT Welcomes New Marine Biodiversity Officer Ahead of Season
With Silurian's first survey of the season just days away, we are delighted to introduce Becky Dudley, our new Marine Biodiversity Officer, to the HWDT team! She will be joining the rest of the crew on our first survey next Sunday 15th April, along with Emma Burgess, our Boat Manager, and Simon van Dam, our First Mate.
“After finishing my undergraduate degree in 2012, I went travelling around the world, working on sailing boats in Australia, conducting research on killer whale populations in Canada and guiding on board a wildlife-watching vessel in Kaikoura, New Zealand. It was here I heard about the Isle of Mull for the first time from one of my colleagues. She had worked in the area previously and talked constantly of the scenery, sense of community and of course the marine life. After returning to the UK, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and moved up to Tobermory for the summer, working as guide for Sea Life Surveys and Sea Wild Scotland back in 2016. Everything my colleague told me was true and I immediately fell in love with the area, people and plethora of marine life.”
It was during this experience that Becky decided she wanted to protect and learn more about the marine environment. She has recently graduated with an MRes in Applied Marine Science from the University of Plymouth. Her master’s research project used data collected by citizen scientists to assess the social structure, distribution and abundance of bottlenose dolphins in southwest England, providing evidence for England’s first resident population.
“I am thrilled that I am back on the Isle of Mull and I am so excited to be working for HWDT on board Silurian. I cannot wait to get back out on the waters that I fell in love with two summers ago.”
Welcome to the team Becky!