Meet Melody Puckridge
Meet Melody Puckridge
What is your job title?
PhD student.
What do you study and why is it important?
Loosely, I study the historical and present day relationship of fish communities in different regions to understand evolutionary pathways and present day connectivity. This is important as it provides insight into some of the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity.
What will you be doing on the voyage?
Sorting and preserving samples of benthic organisms as part of the 'seamount biological team' and no doubt eating far too much food.
Where were you educated?
At Southern Cross University, University of Tasmania, and CSIRO Australia.
How did you become interested in the ocean?
To be honest, I don’t have a specific memory of when I realised how fascinating the ocean was, but growing up on the East coast of Australia makes it very difficult not to be exposed to (at least some of) its wonders.
Do you get seasick? And if so, any tips on how not to?
I don’t think so, however, if I am feeling a little sensitive, it’s usually because I’m dehydrated so drinking lots of water sorts me out fairly quickly. Apart from that, being busy is probably the best way to avoid seasickness.
What do you enjoy about your work?
I love the process of discovering new things e.g. collecting field data and analysing it to uncover a picture of what is happening. Generally, I enjoy almost anything that teaches me something new – which makes being a student particularly alluring.
What are some of the challenges you face?
Leaping into a completely new field of research and starting from the bottom.
What have you learned/discovered? What do you hope to learn?
From the upcoming voyage? I hope to learn more about the animals that live along the Macquarie Ridge and to get an insight into what the other scientists on board are researching.
How do you spend your spare time?
On board? I will probably spend a lot of my spare time in the mess hall talking to people or volunteering to help out on other projects. If nothing else is on offer, I hope to be in my room studying…
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