Robynne Nowicki
Role:
- Head of Education & Outreach, 2017-2022
Contacts:
Background:
Freelance Polar science outreach officer
I can’t remember a day when I wasn’t absolutely enamoured by our Oceans… So naturally Marine Biology was the path for me!
I gained by Master’s in Marine Biology from the University of Southampton in 2017. During this time I was lucky enough to study abroad both at the University Centre in Svalbard and James Cook University Australia. However, it was the frigid poles, and not the colourful coral, that drew me in and my interest in the polar regions began to blossom. I am particularly interested in human impacts on this historically pristine oceans, and the effects that these increasing impacts on food webs and ecosystem functioning.
Following this passion, after graduation I spent about two years sharing it with others by working in polar science outreach! I visited schools all across the UK, and occasionally outside of it as well, sharing my polar experiences with pupils and teaching them about our amazing Arctic and Antarctic! However, I couldn’t keep away from the world of research and have recently started my PhD in Marine Ecology, back at the University Centre in Svalbard!
My current research is looking at the changes in the Arctic food web over the course of the year, with extreme seasonality greatly affecting the fitness and nutritious value of organisms. Building on this, I will then investigate how these changes affect an organism’s susceptibility to stress, with particular focus on persistent organic pollutants and climate change factors, such as warming water temperature.
However, science outreach remains a subject I am very passionate about and I actively take part in it any chance I get!
