Ryan is from Toronto, Canada and has a deep interest in anything ocean related. However, he is mostly fascinated by sharks of all shapes and sizes! He has a degree in Marine & Freshwater Biology, and has spent the majority of his professional career working in public aquariums with many underwater creatures! One of his most memorable ocean encounters was off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa where he got to hangout with dozens of blue sharks! Just keep swimming!

Alyson was born and raised in the famously green and wet Pacific Northwest where she studied Marine Ecology. Her traveled all over the world studying endangered mother sea turtles at night, helping stranded whales, and educating youth about ocean health! 10 years later, while holding a rather irritated iguana, she got a call from her husband that would take their lives from the Caribbean to Macau! She is proud to have worked within her community here as a business owner and parent at TIS to make it an increasingly greener and more earth conscious place!

Originally from Bulgaria, Ellie spent her summers swimming in the Black Sea before immigrating to Newfoundland on Canada’s north-east coast at nine years old. Ellie is a senior scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) based in Bali, Indonesia. Her specialty includes manta rays, turtles, and marine plastic debris. Her current work focuses on Indonesia's scientific and conservation programs. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys learning new languages and other water sports.

Karen Araño Tagulao is a marine biologist who dedicates her time in teaching and research at the Institute of Science and Environment of the University of St. Joseph, Macao. Her expertise on marine flora – seagrass, seaweeds and mangroves, paved way to scientific research projects from Asia, Africa, Europe, and more recently in Macao. Her more recent work focus on the important role of nature-based solutions (NBS), like mangroves, in water pollution remediation, as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Lydia Mak is a teacher and the Sustainability Coordinator at TIS. She loves anything under the water, especially corals. Her interest in the ocean began when she moved to Asia 12 years ago and started scuba diving. Since then, she has discovered a whole new world - from the smallest nudibranchs to the ridiculously large whale sharks. She is committed to inspiring love and protection for the ocean, especially in young people. Her expertise lies in tropical marine biodiversity and coral restoration assessment.

Candice is a Ph.D. student at UCLA, where she uses genetic tools to study a Caribbean invasive seagrass. Candice is interested in understanding how seagrass, seaweed, and coral create habitats for other ocean animals. Her work involves a mixture of SCUBA diving, laboratory work, teaching, and science communication. In her free time, she enjoys channeling her artistic side through drawing, dancing, and silversmithing jewelry.