Buying a truck in California, filling it with surfboards and camping gear, and driving down the coast with a few mates, through Mexico and central America. This trip occurred through the height of the drug wars, and gave me a sense of perspective on life which instilled moral compass that has guided me through life.
Staff Spotlight: Riley Elliott
Title:
Shark ScientistPhotos
My name is Riley Elliott, I am a marine biologist, based in New Zealand, having just finished my PhD satellite tagging blue sharks to address migration, behaviour and habitat use. I was of the first interns to attend Oceans Research in Mossel Bay, South Africa, in 2009 and later returned to help run the institute in 2010. I presently combine my scientific research with natural history films, presenting shark related documentaries with Discovery Channel and national Geographic
What is your favorite travel memory?
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Working with Oceans Research paved my career path. It was the first time I had seen a shark, and the team running the program taught me skills that enabled me to pursue a path in shark research to this day. The practical skills obtained, and experience in working with large animals, were fundamental in me being able to do my PhD research in New Zealand, on blue sharks. I now have a passion to pass on this knowledge to others, to better enable mega fauna research.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
Thats they too, received skills which enabled them to pursue a career that would otherwise not have been possible. The experience gained at Oceans Research is extremely novel, and unobtainable elsewhere in the world. It is a holistic experience, absolutely necessary for a career in this specialised field. This is reflected by the fact that most of the interns I first attended with, have also become leading shark biologists, around the world.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
The Great White shark internship. It is incredible, and really teaches you some amazing skills. It also allows you unprecedented access, not only to this amazing species, but also the cutting edge research and filming making that occurs in this global hotspot of Mossel bay. There are however a wide variety of other internships, for those who are interested in other animals, journalism, or natural history film making.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Oceans Research gave me skills that to date, I would struggle to find elsewhere. As a PhD researcher, I have spent 15 years in academia, and what is clear, is practical skills required to implement theoretical skills, are rarely taught at university. Without practical experience, it is extremely hard to get the opportunity to study large and dangerous animals such as the shark.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Providing a product that is rare, better delivered and beneficial to market. Oceans Research has achieved all of these, and has done so, for a prolonged time, proving its worth to those who wish to invest. I have yet to observe somewhere else that has achieved the same. It is truly a unique experience worth the investment.