Annual Conference 2020 - IMarEST SIG Panel: What Opportunities does a Marine Career Hold?

Marine resources, transport, and energy are crucial to the global economy and to support sustainable growth. The sector offers a diverse and exciting range of career opportunities, especially in the coming years as the sector faces growing demands, new exploration opportunities, and major technological advancements.

This panel discussion will discuss the current challenges and developments across the marine sector to consider the drivers and new opportunities for the next generation of marine professionals. Bringing together members from a few of the IMarEST Special Interest Groups (SIGs) across a variety of fields this event will give insights into experiences in different types of marine careers and open discussions with the audience on how to make the most of IMarEST and volunteering opportunities to support professional development.

Our panel is made up of Chairs from a few of the SIGs, spanning fields such as defence, governance, shipping and offshore industries. The IMarEST SIGs are voluntary groups of IMarEST members working for the benefit of a particular area of interest in the context of IMarEST’s Mission. Through the work of our SIGs members can meet, network, exchange information on and discuss legislative and technical developments. SIGs actively support their specialist field by sharing their expertise on issues arising for the wider membership and the general public, or even contributing to the Institute’s consultative work.

Members of the panel

Niru Dorrian, Senior Environmental Advisor/Marine Mammal Biologist (Whalefish)

Dr Alice Gowward Brown, Coastal Oceanographer/Numerical Modeller at MetOcean Solutions

Caitriona Hanly, Technical Executive at IMarEST

Dr Jemma-Anne Lonsdale, Senior Advisor at CEFAS

Gordon Meadow, Founder and CEO of SeaBot XR

Professor William Meghill, Marine Biologist and Co-Chair Marine Mammals SIG, IMarEST

Professor Cat Savage, MoD Chair of Naval Architecture at University College London.

Martin Shaw, Managing Director and founder of Marine Operations and Assurance Management Solutions Ltd.

Watch Now on IMarEST TV (IMarEST Members only)

About IMarEST Annual Conference

Building on last year’s inaugural event, the 2020 Annual Conference will feature multiple streams covering many of the hottest topics in the marine realm, from the challenges of decarbonisation and a wider shift to greener, more sustainable ways of operating to developments in the naval sector and the outlook for autonomous systems.

Over the course of two weeks, we will utilise a mixture of live formats – webinars, live debates, 1-2-1 talks with experts, and panel discussions - to provide delegates a flexible and unrivalled opportunity to participate in debates, to learn about subjects outside their day-to-day work, and to make new professional connections.

Although the change to a virtual format was made primarily in response to Covid-19, it will allow international members who ordinarily would be unable to travel to London and attend in person to fully take part in proceedings and bring a global voice to the event.

To maximise interaction and engagement, we encourage all delegates to download our new event app, which will help you keep track of what’s happening when, take part in live polls, access supporting content and network with other participants and sponsors.