Leanne Hughes – Professional Scientist in Residence

Leanne Hughes is a chartered geologist at the British Geological Survey and loves outreach. I saw her in action at the Bristol Harbour Festival this year, where she engaged kids in sediment stability experiments…doesn’t sound like fun to you? Well, Leanne made it fun!

Apart from Bristol Harbour Festival, Leanne gave Seas Your Future her precious time for being Scientist in Residence during the Asguard Armada voyage on the tall ship Pelican of London.

This is what Leanne said before she came on board:

“I’m a Tall Ship enthusiast and a Geologist in the Seafloor, Coasts and Landscapes team at the British Geological Survey. My job involves collecting geological information about the rocks and glacial deposits beneath our feet and under the sea and modelling their distribution. This can mean going out into the field with a spade or using bathymetry of the sea bed or 3D computer technology to virtually fly through the landscape from the comfort of the office. I’m interested in the relationship between people and geology, in particular how infrastructure such as wind farms can be best sited for best stability and least seafloor environmental impact. On the Pelican I’m hoping to sample seabed sediment using a traditional lead line and link to the soft sediment maps of the areas.“

Leanne’s two weeks on Pelican focussed on microplastics in the sediment in the Irish Sea, for which she used the sediment grab sampler and microscope on board. She showed her excellent outreach credentials by involving the young sail trainees in her practical work and mentoring our youngest SiR, Olivia Yorke-Dunne (more from her later), who took over from Leanne the following two weeks.

Leanne’s report provides you with an insight of her experience, work on board and how to write a scientific report in plain English.

Featured Image: Washed sediment sample from the Irish Sea featuring a microplastic fibre. Screenshot from the Microscope by Dr Leanne Hughes.