“You learn a lot about effective communication, walking this tightrope”

Whales and dolphins inspired Frank Thomsen FIMarEST to become a marine scientist. Graduating from his PhD at a time when offshore wind was first emerging, Thomsen has been assessing its footprint on marine life ever since. 

1 Tell us about your early career. 

I’ve always been fascinated by nature, especially by whales and dolphins. My childhood dream was to become a killer whale researcher. The topic of my PhD dissertation was the acoustic communication of free ranging killer whales, and I had to paddle out in a kayak into the waters off British Columbia to record the whales in the wild. That was quite an adventure! After completing the PhD from the University of Hamburg in Germany in 1999, I joined an environmental consultancy and managed environmental impact assessments on marine mammals.    

2 What is your current role(s)? Describe what the job entails. 

I'm a Senior Scientist and Director of Market Development for Sound and Marine Life at DHI, an international research and advisory company with headquarters just outside Copenhagen. My job is the development of our portfolio for underwater noise and marine life studies. We assess impacts of sound from offshore wind farms or geophysical surveys on marine mammals and fishes. This is a growing field that has received attention from policy all the way to the United Nations. I do a lot of traveling, give presentations, organise workshops and conferences, and talk to clients. I also oversee the production of proposals and quality-assure the project reports.  Finally, I provide advice on marine noise issues for bodies such as the United Nations, the European Commission and OSPAR. So, it's a very diverse role. 

3 How did you get to where you are now? 

I moved to the UK in 2007 to work for Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) as a Scientific Advisor and had the great honour to represent the UK at the EU, London Convention and OSPAR. I also managed exciting projects such as the first investigation on impacts of piling sound on fishes. Eleven years ago, I took a gamble and accepted DHIs offer to rejoin the private sector.  

5 What inspired you to join the industry – and why?  

Working for industry as an independent advisor is a very influential and important job. On the one hand there are the interests of the industry to realise their plans. On the other hand, there are other stakeholders who in some cases oppose certain plans. Keeping your independence among these different interests is an everyday requirement and you learn a lot about effective communication, walking this tightrope. The job is very rewarding and has impact. For example, I have been responsible for advising offshore wind farm developers to use noise minimization technologies to realise their plans. This is real progress for the offshore wind farm industry and for the environment. 

6 Who influenced you in choosing this industry? 

Rather than a person influencing me, it was the political circumstances, as the offshore wind farm market was kicking in. And working as a consultant was about the only job that you could get as a marine scientist. 

7 Why did you want to become a marine scientist? 

I mentioned my passion for whales. When finishing my education, the goal shifted from understanding to protecting whales and in a broader sense, the entire marine environment. I have been involved in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in European waters. This directive requires each Member State of the European Union to systematically monitor underwater noise in their waters. I was part of the expert group advising the European Union on this concept. I'm very proud to have made a difference in that role. 

8 What are the biggest changes you seeing right now? 

The biggest change is in the pace in which marine industries are developed nowadays. This is especially true for offshore wind where we see an unprecedented increase in development. With projects planned all over the world, in places such as Taiwan, the United States, Northern Europe, Australia and other regions, there are many incredible opportunities for us to make a difference. 

9 And the challenges? 

The environmental footprint is the big challenge. We must make sure the rush for renewable energies doesn’t come at a cost to marine life. We need to re-think our approach to marine science and marine spatial planning. Looking at the big picture means addressing collective impacts much more than in the past. 

10 Who do you most admire? 

I admire many colleagues but three stand out. One is Lindsay Murray, an amazing manager, who hired me at Cefas, and really changed my career. Then there is Mark Tasker, a former head of marine advice at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in the UK. Mark is always a voice of reason when it comes to environmental issues. The third person is Arthur Popper who is a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland in Washington. We’ve worked on several projects together and it’s incredible how much energy Art has and how much wisdom he has accumulated. 

11 Tell us about your involvement with IMarEST and what you get out of it. 

I use the IMarEST mainly as an information and networking platform. Networking happens through meetings such as the one about ship noise and vibration in London some years ago. Information is provided by the Marine Professional, which is an excellent medium for staying up to date on the latest marine industry developments. 

12 What’s the best career advice you have been given?  

Sometimes it's better not to follow advice. When I started studying biology, our university professors told us we wouldn’t get a job because the market was very poor for biologists. It fills me with great joy to prove them wrong! 

13 And what advice do you give to those starting out their careers? 

Life’s too short to waste it in a career you don't like. Go for it and try make your dreams happen. There's always time for a Plan B if plan A doesn't work out.  

14 What's next for you? 

Writing my memoirs? 

To become a member of the Offshore Renewables SIG, log into My IMarEST, click on My Special Interest Groups and then tick the boxes of the SIGs you’d like to join. You can then also join the group on Nexus, our networking platform.”