Ocean Sunfish Research Team
Dr. Marianne Nyegaard
Trust Board Member
Director and Lead Scientist
Current location: Auckland, New Zealand
Marianne started working on sunfish in 2013, and has been unable to look away ever since. Her work ranges from kitchen-based research (how to bake sunfish-shaped cakes) to describing a new species of sunfish, the newest member of the ocean sunfish family, Mola tecta.
Jennifer Han Karmy
Trust Board member
Database Manager (Match My Mola), IT Explorer
Current location: Bali, Indonesia
Jenny manages Match My Mola, infiltrates the Bali dive community (with charm) in her endless pursuit of new sunfish images to match, and looks after our Mola Matchers. In her spare time she is a full-time English teacher, and does the odd spot of diving for sunfish off Nusa Penida.
James Alien
Trust Board member
Creative Advisor and Morale Officer
When there is a road before you that splits in two; take the third path. [Nelix].
Tor Mowatt-Larssen
Database Manager (Pacific NW project)
Current location: Virginia, USA
Tor is a PhD student at Virginia Institute of Marine Science (College of William and Mary). His interests include pelagic ecology and science communication, and all things sunfishy.
Lauren McBride
WATCH THIS SPACE: Intern
Current location: Belfast, Ireland
Lauren is a student at Queen's University, and we are excited to welcome her as an intern in May 2021. She will be working with Jenny on Match My Mola, and with Marianne on the intra- and inter-annual variation in the Bali sunfish season.
Budi
IT Saviour
Current Location: Bali, Indonesia
Budi calmly steps onto the scene when all things IT go South. Thank you Budi, we owe you several sunfish!
Olivia Duncan
Mola Matcher
Current location: UK
For years it was hard to find Oil on land, but the pandemic mercilessly forced her hand; her diving life truncated, to land she relocated - to Mola Matching she now lends a hand!
Catherine Meyer
Mola Matcher
Current location: Auckland, New Zealand
Catherine might be an expert in overthinking, chai drinking and pilot whale photo-ID, but she is happiest when she is in, on or near the ocean. She also enjoys making tasty food, reading books and sharing photos of her dog on Instagram.
Camille Hays
Mola Matcher
Current location: Auckland, New Zealand
Welcome to our newest Mola Matcher, who is a true ocean creature and a long-term sunfish lover. When above water (and not matching sunfish), Camille is an industrial designer and a guru in 3D printing.
Make a Sunfish Happy – Make a Donation!
The Ocean Sunfish Research Trust operates 100% on volunteer efforts, in-kind support and donations. Any and all contributions are hugely appreciated.
Thank you for your kind support 🙂