Marine biology student explores underwater world

Elizabeth, who hopes to become a marine lecturer, said: “A lot of people don’t know what is on their doorstep or coastline and the University of Dundee is one of the closest to a beach in the world.

“And Scotland is absolutely amazing for marine facilities.

“We are one of the few countries that is surrounded by rocky coastlines which cultivate so much life.

“Luckily for us, this underwater world is revealed every day when the tide retreats, so you don’t need to learn to dive – you just need a pair of wellies.”

Elizabeth has now developed her series to interact with other marine wildlife enthusiasts who view her videos.

She added: “People will send me their work and I like to show it and say something about it. I am always open to people who want to tweet me as well with any questions.

“We have quite a nice little community who like rock-pooling too and whenever I get to interact with viewers it means more to me than the numbers who view the series.

“My PhD allows me to do the thing I love the most, which is learn about the creatures on our coastlines, and I want to inspire others by sharing that with them. Rock-pooling is not only interesting but also a really fun day out.

“The two things I’m still waiting to find are an octopus and a basking shark – I’d love to see them.

“I was at the National Sea Watch at Arbroath cliffs and was lucky enough to see whales and dolphins.

“I’m hopeful of seeing a basking shark and an octopus as every time I go to the coast I find more amazing life, such as lobsters or entire forests of kelp, but even a humble barnacle can be exciting to witness in its natural habitat.”

Elizabeth said: “Marine biology is not something that you can only view on a television screen.

“You can go to any piece of coastline and get hands-on experiences with the creatures and plants that live in the water.”

Elizabeth’s research at Dundee is focusing on the effects of concrete on biofouling – where marine life accumulates on man-made structures such as harbours.

Having graduated with a degree in marine biology from Swansea University, she came to Dundee’s renowned School of Science and Engineering to learn more about how human and marine life interacts.

But despite a hectic study schedule, she still finds time for filming and editing her aquatic adventures, as well as producing marine-themed scientific art.