Hi friends! I’m Aliya. I believe in the power of combining creative passion and environmental stewardship. My work involves pairing educational content with striking visuals to inspire people to conserve our blue planet.

Growing up in land-locked Ohio, effective storytelling brought me into the marine world far before I could fully immerse myself in it. I grew up reading educational books, articles, and documentaries that led me to studying human-animal interactions, and moving to Australia to study marine biology in one of the most beautiful ecosystems in the world: the Great Barrier Reef.

I am a marine biologist, science communicator, and field photographer.

Entering field data for the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish management program on the Great Barrier Reef.

I have followed a non-linear path to learn about the way people and wildlife coexist.

After completing my undergraduate studies, I volunteered at a small local conservation organization in the Philippines collecting benthic, invertebrate, and fish data on local marine protected areas. During my divemaster course in Indonesia, I started dabbling in the creative realms of photography, videography, and blog writing.

I completed a Masters of Marine Biology (Professional) at James Cook University (Australia) in 2021, where I was able to participate in a range of research on dwarf minke whales, sharks, tourism, social science, and small-scale fisheries. However, here is where I saw a disconnect between researchers and the general public.

After graduating, I worked as a scientific diver in the ongoing field management and data collection on Crown-of-Thorns Starfish and reef health for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. I then shifted towards more direct science communication, working as a marine biologist and snorkel guide at the world-renowned Lady Elliot Island Eco-Resort.

What services can I provide?

Currently, I am seeking opportunities to focus on my science communication career and building my media and writing portfolio.

I am available for photography and photojournalism shoots on scientific endeavors both above and below the surface in NSW, Australia. However, I am traveling and can discuss options for work opportunities elsewhere in Australia and abroad.

I can provide writing and editing assistance for scientific content creation. I am also available for drone, underwater, and other videography assistance.

Free-diving with GoPro at Lady Elliot Island.

Scuba diving on the GBR with an Olympus TG5. Scientific diving has provided me with excellent buoyancy skills.

Qualifications:

  • PADI Divemaster with over 600 scientific dives

  • PADI Freediver (Level 1)

  • Coxswain Grade 1 NC

  • AS2299 Dive Medical

  • First Aid, CPR, Advanced Resuscitation

  • Current US Passport (expires 2030)

A casual freediving and photography mission on a glass-out day in the Sunshine Coast.

Interview for JCU with F&F lab director Dr. Andrew Chin