Rowan joins the team

I’m really thrilled to have started my job at DEFA this month.

I feel the role will give me a fantastic opportunity to work on some exciting projects which will hopefully make the Island an even better place for people and wildlife.

My role will be split between two areas in the ecosystem policy team. Half of my time I will be working on a plan that aims to reduce the amount of single use plastic within government and on the Island.

For the rest of my time, I will be supporting the Government's work within the Man and Biosphere Programme. 

Having grown up on the Isle of Man, my initial fascination with the natural world was cultivated as a child. Since then, everything in my life seems to have revolved around my love for the ocean and the natural world.

I completed my masters in marine science a few years ago and have always worked closely with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, as well as local NGOs such as the Manx Wildlife Trust and the Manx Basking Shark Watch.

This summer I had the opportunity to go join an expedition across the North Pacific with 14 other women, through the Great Pacific garbage patch.

As one of the scientists on board, I collected samples from within the dense plastic patch, to aid research into the critical issue that is marine pollution. Now that I am back on land, I’m lucky that I have the opportunity within this role, to use the devastating plastic pollution I witnessed, as motivation to create real change on land.

In my spare time, I love to be in the water. In the summer I love to go snorkelling and diving around our beautiful coastline and in the winter I love being thrown around in the waves. The ocean is definitely my happy place.

I also love to travel and have worked as a diver in some interesting places.

Despite my love for foreign lands, I always find myself back here, on our beautiful little Island.

I really can’t wait to see what the next year has to offer and I’m really excited to have been given this opportunity to make a difference to the place that first inspired me.