My name is Valerie and I am a marine biologist from Hong Kong/Belgium whose research has focused primarily on coral bleaching dynamics. I’ve been passionate about the ocean since I was a child, but this instinct grew at the age of 14 when I underwent my PADI Open Water Course and started scuba diving. Shortly after this, I began my underwater photography journey and eventually pursued a career in marine science.
I studied Biology at Imperial College London, completing my Honours thesis on determining meaningful functional groups of coral species on the Great Barrier Reef using numerical techniques. I then worked at various non-profits such as Reef Check Indonesia and the Misool Foundation, where I found practical application for my passion for coral restoration and research.
I then completed a Masters of Marine Biology at James Cook University (JCU) in Townsville Australia, whilst immersing myself into the remote sensing field, through research projects and expeditions. This was followed by a PhD conducted through JCU, supported by a scholarship from a collaboration between my university and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS@JCU). Other than my major focus on coral research, I have spent time studying whale sharks (ECOCEAN), sea cucumbers (Macquarie University & JCU), and deep sea environments (Schmidt Ocean Institute).
My interest for photography started when I was a child, when I first started photographing bugs and birds with my father’s DSLR camera, but it quickly grew into a passion as I bought my own digital camera and started scuba diving. I upgraded to an underwater DSLR setup as I reached my 18th birthday. Although photography has not been my primary profession, it is something I pursue in my every day life, trying to surround myself by animals and nature and photographing it. As I am also a remote sensing scientist, I have worked a lot with drones, not only using drones as a research tool for coral reefs and shark identification, but for photography.
By combining my scientific insights with creative expression, I aim to tell compelling stories that highlight the importance of protecting our ecosystems and fostering a culture of responsible stewardship.
