Olivia Jackson

About

My name is Olivia, I’m 22 years old and grew up in France. I have just completed my third year of marine biology at the University of Southampton, and am about to start my Masters there. I grew up on the Mediterranean, which is where my passion for marine biology first started – looking for crabs in any rock pool we could find, and wanting to know more about the fauna and flora living beneath the surface.

I found out about the Marine Dynamics Academy Scientific Internship during my university’s open day. My fascination for sharks was first heightened during a volunteering experience in Florida, and hence later decided to apply for this internship. I was lucky to dive near Cape Town two years ago, and was astonished by the diversity in the fauna and flora I saw. I knew South Africa was the place to come to if I wanted to get more hands-on experience in the marine biology field. Not only does this internship allow us to learn more about great white sharks, it also allows us to gain experience when it comes to whales, smaller shark species, estuary monitoring, photography, and African penguin ecology. Spending time here will definitely improve some of the skills needed to pursue a career in marine science.