Pauline Chauvet

Tell us about your work/ research. What kinds of things do you do?

I study the spatial and temporal evolution of epibenthic megafauna communities at three different depths of Barkley Canyon (British Columbia, Canada) and the impact of environment on those communities. 

How did you get involved with the Nautilus Exploration Program?  How did you get on the boat?

I have some experiments at Tempo-Mini vent and different places covered by Ocean Networks Canada's NEPTUNE observatory.

What sparked your initial interest in your career?

 Always wanted to study the ocean since I read the stories of Captain Jacques Cousteau (I was 5-6 years old!). My generation is the one that finally realized how damaging the human can be to the planet so it was logical for me to explore and understand the ocean to better protect it. This is why I started studying marine ecology.

 What element of your work/ study do you think is the most fascinating?

It's always crazy to think that, thanks to deep sea observatories, I can watch/count/identify species living at 1000m depth in Canada live... from my office in France. 

What other jobs led you to your current career? 

I did many different internships- all linked with deep-sea benthic populations. Those led me to apply for this thesis program.

What are your degrees and certifications?

The degrees I hold are a Master in Marine Biology- Université de Bretagne Occidentale 2014. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include stand-up paddle, free diving, spear fishing.

What advice would you give someone who wants to have a career like yours?

My advice for someone who is interested in my field of study would be to do lots of internships to find the field you are the most comfortable with. Then always keep in mind that it's something that you do with passion. If ever you start getting bored then stop, because it is sometimes complex and underpay so if you are not enjoying it anymore it will be very hard. 1st word = PASSION