Sarah Reed

Technician, Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)

I work as a technician on the DIAPOD project, carrying out laboratory analyses and sample collection during the CAO cruises to the Arctic Ocean. A link to my CAO cruise blog is here.

After graduating from Plymouth University, I was employed by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) as a Marine Assistant for Rothera Research Station in Antarctica on the Western Peninsula. My job roles were to maintain a long term data set that has been running since 1997, including: scientific full facemask dive surveys and collections, weekly water sampling and laboratory work both through fast ice and from boats, maintaining aquariums.

Whilst living in Antarctica for 18 months I did everything from learning to mixed climb, ski, snowboard, camp in a pyramid tent and copilot twin otters to deploy scientists into the field. During my time there I conducted a microplastic survey in sediments around the base with results to be published in the near future.

When not working my past times include gliding across the country in competitions and towing gliders in powerplanes, I am also an avid sailor on yachts and love snorkelling and diving where ever the visibility is good.

Related Articles

  • Negative effects of micro-plastics on marine plankton

    With concerns around the presence of microplastics in the environment growing, two new research papers from Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and partner research institutes in the UK and Norway have highlighted their impact on crucially important members of the zooplankton, known as copepods. Read more

    13 June 2019