Hidden beneath the waves

Dr. Bethan Lang is a Senior Sycomore scientist and our Lead Marine Scientist. Bethan is a marine biologist from the UK, who completed her PhD a stone’s throw from the Great Barrier Reef in Townsville, Australia. Here, Bethan studied the impacts of climate change on the infamous coral-feeding crown-of-thorns starfish, while also assisting with research projects on the ecology of epaulette sharks and other fishes.

Bethan has also worked on kelp and seagrass restoration and seahorse conservation projects in Sydney, as well as coral reef conservation projects in Indonesia, Madagascar and Honduras. Bethan is an avid diver, sailor, and general ocean lover.

Dr Karin Kvale is an Earth System modeller working on the interactions between plastic pollution and climate science. She has a background in Environmental Science (BSc. from Indiana University, USA), Atmospheric Science (MSc. from University of Victoria, Canada), and Climate Science (PhD. from University of New South Wales, Australia). Prior to moving to New Zealand she was a researcher at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, where she worked on biogeochemical model parameter optimisation, climate dynamics and microplastics modelling. In 2021 she moved to New Zealand and currently runs her own consultancy for basic and applied climate research

Xiaoyan Zhou holds a Ph.D in physical geography from the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research at East China Normal University. She’s currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Padova, where she focuses on coastal environmental studies.

Her addresses key environmental challenges in coastal regions, which play vital roles in filtering pollutants from land, buffering extreme marine events, and providing essential habitats for aquatic life. She applies an interdisciplinary approach, combining fieldwork, hydrodynamics, experimental analysis and biodiversity assessment.

Her work has resulted in 14 publications in peer-reviewed journals in the related field. With a strong scientific foundation and the ability to synthesize knowledge across disciplines, she is committed to addressing pressing marine environmental issues and to contributing meaningfully to diverse marine science projects.

From early on in my academic journey, I’ve been driven to find the how and why of intricate marine ecosystems. With a background in both ecology and marine biology, I like to focus on the bigger picture as well as the individual components that need to work together. I’m passionate about finding innovative solutions and increasing engagement for these dynamic topics, and dedicated to protect our nature via science, policy and directed action.

I’m a Physical Oceanographer with a strong background in climate science and environmental research, with a particular focus on polar regions. My expertise spans sea-air-ice interactions, ocean dynamics, and climate data analysis, contributing to both academic research and applied oceanography.

My oceanography background has equipped me with broad knowledge of marine science across diverse disciplines, including Biology, Geology, Physics, Chemistry, and Human-Ocean interactions.