A short summary of MY project
I'm raising £3,500 to finance this research project. My research will be finished early August, and written up by the end of September for my Msc thesis. I will be in Indonesia for 6-8 weeks working with the NGO Operation Wallacea in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
I have not included my own travel funds within this, as I do not expect people to pay for my flights.
Who AM I?
My name is Harriet, and I'm a 23 year old Tropical Marine Biology student at Essex University, UK. I completed my undergraduate degree in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology at Plymouth University (1st class honours) and after this masters programme I plan to continue into a Phd. In short, I plan to dedicate my life to our oceans!
MY story
This research project is unique because of the reef system being studied. Coral bommies (or coral patches) are small outcrops/patches of coral away from main reef systems. I want to determine whether or not these systems are important for conservation, and understand what it is about them that makes them important (e.g, rugosity ). All data for this project will be collected with SCUBA, and video footage will be downloaded and analysed in the laboratory.
Where will the money go?
The research itself costs £3,500. The money goes directly to the NGO (Operation Wallacea) I am working with, and the money is used to pay for research facilities (e.g laboratory usage, diving equipment, rent, boat fees, insurance). The NGO regularly publishes peer reviewed scientific papers, and this is only possible through researchers like myself fundraising money. As an NGO, the organisation receives no governmental grants, and runs entirely on volunteer/research fees.
If you've been watching blue planet, you know how bad things are. But unfortunately most marine biologists lives aren't as glamorous as that. Research is expensive, but the government doesn't fund it, which is why most researchers like myself rely on fundraising or grants.
REWARDS
- There are some small rewards for you on the right hand side. Everyone that pitches in will receive something!
Images and video
I appreciate that it all looks very glamorous, but accommodation and food is very basic, and the toilet is a hole in the floor and the shower a bucket! So really it will be a completely different experience for me.
This is an example of what a typical coral bommie in shallow waters would look like.This is the type of coral that I will be researching over there.
Help me succeed (please)!
The best way you can help me is to donate, anything at all will help! Even the smallest donations will make a difference in this way, but I appreciate that not everybody has money to give to a charity, which is fine, but please share this to people who may be interested in supporting my research. Tell everyone about my project and help me spread the word!
