Hello!
My name is Marcelina. I am 22 years old and in June 2023 graduated from the University of St Andrews with a BSc in Biology and Sustainable Development. Upon graduation I received the R&A International Scholarship, providing me with funding to spend the 12 months after graduation carrying out this project.
My biggest passions include scuba diving, hiking and exploring new places. There is truly no place where I feel happier than by the sea, especially underwater, wether that be recreationally or for work-based activities.
I am originally from Poland however at the age of 6 moved to Thailand where I lived with my family until turning 18, after which point I lived in Ireland for one year before coming to St Andrews to complete my undergraduate degree. This international upbringing has given me a big passion for travel and I have been fortunate enough to visit many incredible places throughout both personal and study-related trips. This past year I participated in the University Charity Hitchhike race, hitchhiking from Edinburgh to Prague, and have also grown to love solo backpacking. What I love most about traveling is the ability to meet new people and appreciate both the similarities and differences that you can find across different communities.
During my time at St Andrews, through both my studies and extracurricular activities, I became deeply interested in environmental protection and sustainable development, participating in many student-led sustainability initiatives such as being the elected Environment Officer on the Student Representative Council. For me the challenge of climate change as it relates to the coastal ecosystems is especially alarming, considering the numerous ways that we rely on them for food, protection, weather control and carbon storage. Our coasts are often faced with the highest pressure of human development yet with each area that we alter for human use we additionally put coastal communities at unprecedented risks of rising sea levels and loss of livelihoods.
With this project I am excited to put into practice what I have learnt throughout my studies and participate in active efforts to combat the large challenges that coastal marine ecosystems are facing due to human actions. I am most excited by the ability to move from the classroom to the field and I hope to through this project find hope for the future of coastal ecosystems and to gain skills that will allow me to pursue a career helping make a positive difference for the marine environment and all of us who rely on it.