Belgium
Scientist
Alizee, an oceanography student, has almost graduated from Plymouth University (UK). She is very enthusiastic about outdoor sports and travelling. She is on a mission to tackle solutions for our oceans.
Germany
SVP Global Ocean Freight - Trade Management
Born and raised at the Baltic coastline in Germany, the element of water created fascination from an early age : swimming, rowing, diving, surfing and sailing have been favorites ever since. Not a surprise that also her professional career had to be related to Ocean Freight.
It was during extensive travel around the globe as well as during her several years living in China and Southeast Asia that she has become deeply aware about the sheer amount of plastic in the Ocean and consequences in the environment from toxic pollution.
Anja is passionate about raising the awareness level about plastic and toxic pollution and to motivate for solutions. Her leadership role in the ocean logistic industry provides a solid platform to reach out to various stakeholders and stimulate the topic. Anja is married with two sons. Her family backs up her project and is keen seeing her on this female adventure.
Australia
Marketeer & Communicator
Britt grew up in Berlin and found a second home in Sydney, where she lived 12 years in Bondi Beach and fell in love with the ocean. She is a marketing and communications professional with 20+ years experience in international marketing and business – her skill set honed in international ad agencies and at one of the world’s top management consulting firms.
After the corporate career she didn’t do Eat, Pray, Love – rather Live, Discover, Recycle. Britt co-ran a non-profit domestic recycling collection service in Tulum, Mexico for three years, CleanCycle (aka TulumRecycles) to help reduce the trash (especially plastic) that ends up in the overflowing landfill and educate the community on waste management and recycling. She studied Business Sustainability Management at Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Festival Assessment with A Greener Festival / Falmouth University and now consults businesses in ‘sustainability amplification’ – helping companies operate more sustainably with less impact on the planet and creating stories and campaigns to amplify positive change.
Britt was supposed to join leg 17 of the actual eXXpedition sailing voyage, and since the cancellation due to Covid-19 is thrilled to be part of this Virtual Voyage with inspiring women to learn more about microplastics and help carry the message and necessary change to her community and beyond.
Germany
Physician, Diver
Claudia loves being on and in the ocean as much as freshwater lakes, rivers and caves. She is into diving, windsurfing, canoeing and sailing. As a passionate diver and dive instructor she is deeply interested in water protection and scientific research about biological shifts and human impact on water quality. She runs two conservation projects (Project Baseline Bergisches Land and Project Baseline Gulf of Cagliari).
Besides Claudia is an anaesthesiologist and hospital hygiene specialist, a mother of two, and a (hobby) violinists and strongly believes in the positive effects of passionate teaching and education to rise awareness and impact people’s behaviour.
Her motivation to join the virtual voyage is to learn more about microplastic pollution and its effects on the microbiota of an aquatic habitat and especially on our health. She plans educational talks in local dive shops and a gymnasium and hopes to encorporate her newly gained knowledge into her own citizen science projects and some artwork ideas to rise awareness for „aquatic health“.
Germany
Earth Scientist
Dr Derya Gürer is an Earth Scientist currently based in Australia. A scientist, outdoor enthusiast, adventurer, and advocate for women in STEM has worked in remote and rugged conditions all over the world. Driven by curiosity in the world that surrounds us and her personal motivation, Derya wants to use her expertise as scientist and educator to contribute to a cause that affects us all: the decline in the health of the ocean.
Germany
Environmentalist and Artisan
Through her travels and studies Ina learned about the pressing environmental challenges and became passionate about giving back by speaking up and taking action for nature and the ocean, raising awareness and inspiring the people she meets on her path to join the movement for a healthy planet and future.
Ina is a passionate traveler and loves the ocean. Hence most of her journeys are directed to where there is endless water and horizon. Being outdoors and especially at the ocean with all its beauty and hidden marine wildlife, inspires her to put a different view on (everyday) life. It struck her that despite all enchanting beauty, there was barely a place she traveled to, that is not threatened by (longterm) impacts from man-made pollution or exploitation. Be it the Andes, the Amazon, the Okavango Delta, the Andaman Sea or the Galapagos Islands to name but a few. So Ina changed from a casual visitor to an involved protectionist. She took a course on Antarctic and Marine Science and learned about life circles, pollution, acidification, climate change and other impacts on the ocean. Now she wants to get involved further and raise awareness so people will notice that their own footprint matters, but also that there is always something one can do to minimize the impact.
Ina is a Master of Environmental Science candidate, following a BSc in Human Geography and Business Administration. She was born and lived most of her life in Berlin, Germany before she moved to Switzerland where she works as an analyst and researcher in aviation.
Germany
Physician
Jana is a clinical physician from Berlin. As a member of the German alliance for climate change and health, she is highly interested in public health issues, such as the global warming and the pollution of our airs and waters.
It is her strong believe that the survival and well-being of humans is dependent on a healthy planet. To inspire conversation on the topic, she recently launched a podcast, where she talks to specialists from the health sector and takes a stand for sustainable changes that are needed to be made in order to save the health of the planet and us humans living on it.
Germany
Mom, Wife, Business Woman - trained as a Bricklayer and Civil/Env Engineer
Katrin is a bricklayer and competitive swimmer from former East Germany. Because in East Germany there were limited resources, she always had to improvise and invent ways to make things work. This mindset shapes her to the day and forces her to be determined, practical, and hands-on. Katrin’s fierce sense of fairness helps build community.
It was much later in Katrin’s professional life that a professor told her that entrepreneurs are very unhappy because they always see things that can be improved. That’s when she realized, “Oh, is that what it is? I must be a very good entrepreneur!”
Her heart beats at the intersection of sustainability, business, innovation & social entrepreneurship. She views the world around her through the lens of strategic sustainability to find ways to decarbonize.
Katrin really loves her work in the business world, helping companies and corporations become more profitable, resilient and competitive by connecting their core business values with environmental sustainability, especially along the water-energy-food nexus.
As an environmental sustainability business woman, Katrin enjoys leading and initiating change, inspiring and empowering people, and engaging in sustainability design thinking and development of inclusive and equitable communities, which she does in her personal and professional life, from Harvard University to the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, as well as in her volunteering activities as President of SustainableQATAR.
A big motivator, challenge and responsibility for taking part in an eXXpedition round-the-world sailing voyage is to bring back pictures, stories and research results to this diverse array of organizations and communities for which she is grateful for and willing to accept.
Germany
Biochemist
MELINA is a biochemist and water addict. She is currently studying for a PhD which involves the development of alternative treatments to replace chemotherapy for breast cancer patients. Her home is Germany where she learned to sail on the largest lake in Europe and absolutely loved it and is an overall water sports enthusiast.
Throughout her studies she was engaged in a green society spreading awareness to protect our environment. Melina is excited to join the eXXpedition Round Britain team as it will bring together two of her passions: science and sailing. She is looking forward to spreading the word about ocean pollution and how to change it, spending time with an all-female crew and gaining experience sailing in the North Sea.
Germany
Throughout my life I have been fascinated by the diversity of marine life and the power of the ocean. I became passionate about marine sciences very early in highschool and I soon recognized how quickly the marine environment is changing due to human impacts. In order to better understand the pocesses and the development of the earth system, I started a degree in geological sciences.
During my studies in Germany and California at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography I discovered my passion for marine research expeditions and participated in a number of cruises on research vessels off Namibia, off the Californian Coast and the Northern Sea. In particular I focused on climate change and biogeochemical cycles and the impact on our oceans and ecosystems. With the master’s degree and the motivation to communicate scientific knowldege about the importance of our oceans, I became the head of office of the German Ocean Foundation last year, fighting for the protection of the marine environment everyday. Besides my scientific career I am really enthusiastic about diving, surfing, climbing, travelling and exploring.
I think it is crucial to increase the public awareness about the importance of the health of the oceans for all of us and to pull together to protect the environment. Therefore I am very excited to join eXXpedition in the Carribean and to contribute to research and communication about the issue of plastic pollution and toxins.
In fact It wasn’t until I saw the vast destruction of our environment by plastics in Indonesia two years ago with my own eyes that I realized the impact of our consumption life style.
Furthermore I am really thrilled to improve my sailing skills on the beautiful Sea Dragon and to meet all the inspiring women from the fields of science, arts and more. I think that our combined skills can strenghten a change in our society and inspire people to change their personal life style. I hope I can take a part of the power and motivation back to Germany.
Germany
Marine Conservationist
Tharaka is the founder of Ocean Education & Blue Parks Ambassador, Marine Conservation Institute
In 2015 Tharaka Sriram founded the ocean literacy initiative called “Ocean Education”, where she inspires people for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and fights for the establishment of a global network of strongly protected MPAs.
She also was chosen to be Blue Parks Ambassador of the Marine Conservation Institute, the organization that globally spearheads research, implementation and advocacy for strongly protected MPAs.
As a linguist and political scientist, she has lived on six of the seven continents. The six languages that she speaks fluently made it easier for her to work at the UN, NGOs, ministries and institutions that focused on the issues of women’s rights, development cooperation, Youth and marine conservation.