The ocean is my biggest passion. I have a deep interest in marine plants, which form the underwater forests of the planet. I am particularly captivated by the diversity of forms, colours and functions of seaweed forests — the biological powerhouse of many temperate reefs worldwide. My passion for this systems developed in my natal Mediterranean Sea, which contains one of the richest algal floras on the planet. I then moved to the United Kingdom to study how climate change is affecting its marine forests, which are dominated by a wide array of kelp species with different thermal affinities. My current ecological playground are the kelp forests of the western Great Southern Reef in Australia, where I am undertaking my PhD research at the Wernberg Lab. I have a strong background in underwater field research, science communication, project management and logistics, and obtaining project funding.