Keynote: Nicole Yamase – Pacific Odyssey

Presenting in Australia for the first time for Sydney Science Festival, acclaimed ocean scientist Dr Nicole Yamase shares her childhood experiences in Micronesia and her lifelong dedication to ocean conservation. Dr Yamase is a community builder, leading the Madau Project which empowers Micronesian youth to re-connect with the navigational heritage that enabled their ancestors to explore the Pacific. In March 2021 Dr Yamase participated in an expedition across the western Pacific Ocean that led her to become the first Pacific Islander to visit the deepest point of the Mariana Trench.

Dr Nicole Yamase is from the islands of Pohnpei and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia. She received her PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where she studied the ecophysiological responses of native Hawaiian macroalgae. As an Micronesian scientist, weaving together her culture and science background, she hopes her love for the ocean and expeditions will inspire Indigenous youth across the globe to pursue STEM fields.