Research Assistant Program @ Gili Shark Conservation in Indonesia

Coming to this project was the best decision I’ve ever made!! The project is so well organised and everyone is so passionate about marine conservation, it really shows in the work that gets done everyday!! Over the 3 months that I spent at Gili shark I made so many amazing friends from all around the world that I’ll have for the rest of my life. Rose, Maisy and all the staff are so inspiring and supportive, i learnt so much from them all and I cannot wait to come back and visit in the future!!!!

I loved my time with Gili Shark Conservation! I made lifelong friends from all over the world and lifelong friends on the island. I got incredible hands-on learning from the kind and enthusiastic staff at Gili Shark Conservation. Learning from their skills and techniques enhanced my skills as a marine biologist, and I will forever be thankful for that. I will always cherish the memories I have made here and the laughs I have had with staff and interns. I'll miss our movie nights, running to catch the sunset, playing cards/ games at HQ, and boat rides back from the dive sites the most.

It was so amazing being on Gili air. I learned so much on so many things and it’s really opened my eyes to really how much we understand about the ocean and its inhabitants. I’ve meet many people from all over the world and some become very close friends. I also got to go to Komodo while I was there, highly recommend going, from dragons to mantas. Spending six weeks there, I’ve done amazing things from beach cleans to seeing baby turtle hatch. I also can not wait to go back and see all my friends that I made there.

Barbi and I were overwhelmed with how communicative, patient and easy to work with everyone was and how organized the program, educators, dives and participants were at Gili shark, we were only disappointed we didn’t get to meet Rose personally!
The kindness with which we were treated and the efficiency and professional level of work, data collection and doing things by the book was actually astounding. We have dove and worked with organizations from Tonga to Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Fiji and were amazed at how much Gili shark not only has going on but achieving as well!

While working with Gili Shark Conservation I gained valuable field experience in marine science and conservation while also being educated by Marine Biologists on important and current topics. All while having access furthering my diving certifications and becoming a skilled diver. The island itself and the locals are amazing, but what truly sets this program apart is the amazing staff who go above and beyond. If I could change one thing about my experience it would have been to have gone earlier and stayed longer.

The Gili Shark Conservation is truly something special. The past two months I have learned so many wonderful things about scuba diving, research methods, data input and analysis, and overall marine conservation efforts. I had no diving experience coming into the program, I learned everything I know now on Gili Air! I quickly became very close with the staff and other sharkies, it’s very much a family setting! The people I have met and the experiences I’ve had are going to stay with me forever, and for that I am so grateful to the GSC! Saying goodbye is hard, so it’s a see you next time instead :)

Diving with GSC was the best decision I’ve ever made. I had never dived before but after only a month I am now a confident diver, can collect data and have learned so much more than any number of books or lectures could have taught me. Being part of the team feels like a family, everybody is so supportive and I had so much fun. It’s lovely being around a team of people so passionate about the ocean. If you are considering joining, definitely go for it!! The only thing I would change is the time I stayed - wish I had done longer 🐟🪸🌊

Such a wonderful, spur of the moment place to be. I met people from so many different cultures, laughed so much, and had amazing food every day. The schedule was helpful, but also adjustable if jy felt under the weather. I was educated about marine life and taught myself how to ride a bicycle(studying in Amsterdam so very important). The ocean was beautiful and I felt taken care of by the staff at the local dive club and this organisation. Really a different type of holiday that I would recommend to any traveler with a heart for the ocean.