Question: what life lessons have you learned whilst working there?

Anton Edwards answered on 30 Nov 2023:

When working in the natural environment, or particularly in the sea, I learned quite early that whatever plans you make, you must accept that Nature may upset them.

When young, I was once in charge of a team of scientists on a ship for my first research cruise of ten days, in the Atlantic. I naively planned it down to the last half hour. I was unusually lucky – all went well for eight days but on day nine a storm blew up, we had to run for harbour, and all the rest of the programme was lost.

So no matter how carefully you plan and scheme you have to remember that Fate may have completely different plans for you.

The second lesson is that no matter how MUCH you know, it is equally important to think about WHO you know. People I know have been kind to remember me and to involve me in projects, to ask me things, to pay me to solve their interesting questions.

So it is important to share your thoughts with other folk and always to try to understand their problems as well as your own. Then they will involve you and help you make a career.

Of course, these lessons could have been learned in any field of human endeavour, not just in marine science!