Marine Biologist, Filmmaker, Entrepreneur.
Meet Madeline St Clair
INTRODUCING MADS
Ocean Scientist x Storyteller
British scientist Madeline (Mads) St Clair is a coral reef biologist, photojournalist, filmmaker and expedition leader working at the intersection of ocean science and storytelling. Her research interests focus on how human-made stressors are affecting the ocean, and commencing in September 2026, she begins a PhD exploring coral reef restoration, reproductive connectivity and bioacoustics. Storytelling has taken her from tropical coral reefs to the icebergs of Arctic Greenland, most recently as Oceanographic Magazine’s 2024–2025 Storyteller in Residence, documenting ocean stories from some of the planet’s most extraordinary environments. Founder of Women in Ocean Science Charity, Mads is a fierce advocate for gender equity and works to elevate women in the ocean space.
Studying OUR OCEANS
Research & Conservation
A multi-disciplinary coral reef scientist with extensive field research experience, Mads’ research focusses on human stressors and how they impact these complex and vibrant ecosystems. After graduating from the University of Exeter with BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, she completed a Master’s in Tropical Marine Biology at the University of Essex, receiving the Marine Biology Prize for outstanding academic achievement and for her research into the effects of anthropogenic noise on coral reef communities.
Her research has since taken her across the world, spanning coral reef bioacoustics, manta ray disturbance, shark conservation, microplastics and reef restoration. From Indonesia and the Maldives to Mozambique and Baja California, she has worked alongside scientists, conservation organisations and local communities to better understand and protect marine ecosystems.
In September 2026, Mads begins her PhD at the University of Bristol, bringing together many of these threads to investigate the future of coral reef restoration. Her research will explore reproductive connectivity and larval ecology on restored reefs, alongside the potential for bioacoustics to support reef recovery.
Alongside academia, Mads continues to lead independent research and conservation, using an unconventional combination of science, storytelling and community-led conservation to turn research into tangible ocean impact. See her current research here.
capturing the natural world
Photography & Filmmaking
Witnessing the alarming disappearance of marine ecosystems first-hand, Mads pivoted from scientist to advocate, Mads began using photography and filmmaking to take science beyond academia and tell stories capable of reaching much wider audiences. Today, she works as a natural history filmmaker, conservation photographer, commercial drone pilot and underwater camera operator, specialising in ocean, wildlife and environmental storytelling.
Mads has worked as an underwater photographer across the globe, shooting content for Sky TV, Channel 4 News alongside several commercial brands. Her drive to learn, investigate and document our oceans has taken her to some of the remotest corners of the planet, and in August 2021, she found herself in the wilderness of Greenland, for an all-female exploration and documentary project, investigating climate change and plastic pollution in the sub-Arctic ocean. In 2023, Mads won Fujifilm’s GFX Regional Grant Challenge, which supported her in documenting the voices of pioneering local women in ocean conservation across the Indo-Pacific. In 2025, she worked with Canon and Coral Spawning International in the Seychelles to document the extraordinary science of coral spawning and assisted reproduction, following the journey from spawning colonies to the next generation of corals.
Across photography, film and social media, her work is driven by the same goal: to make people stop, look closer and care about the natural world.
explore, capture, protect
Expeditions
Driven by a love for true wilderness and rare wildlife encounters, in the past 7 years, Mads has led a number of ocean expeditions to explore some of the remotest corners of our blue planet. Though her conservation and storytelling expeditions have mainly taken her across the tropics, Mads has made several expeditions to the ethereal landscape of the Arctic, most recently as part of her role as Storyteller in Residence at Oceanographic Magazine. As a PADI Scuba Instructor, shark diver and experienced guide, Mads’ expeditions prioritise safe, responsible wildlife encounters, which respect both the local community and the preservation and health of the marine environment. In 2022 Mads launched her own expedition company, Polyp Collective (formerly Blu Wild Expeditions) curating bespoke, low-impact wildlife and ocean expeditions. Today, Polyp’s focus is on coral reef restoration retreats - bringing people beyond simply visiting a reef and into the science and conservation behind its recovery. Through hands-on restoration, diving and learning alongside marine scientists, the retreats are designed to turn ocean travel into meaningful participation in protecting the ecosystems being explored.
women in ocean science
Empowering Women
After witnessing a lack of diversity and general disparity within marine science, aged just 22, Mads founded Women in Ocean Science (WOS) - built on the belief that protecting our ocean requires a diverse and inclusive community of people empowered to protect it. First conceptualised in the field during her Master’s research, WOS began as a platform to amplify women’s voices and has since grown into a global movement for gender equity in the ocean sector.
Today, WOS is a UK-registered charity and has grown into the largest network of female marine scientists; a global community that spans 100 countries, hosts 80K across social platforms and has ambassadors at 60+ institutions across 5 continents. Mads has brought conversations around gender equity in ocean science to international stages including COP26 and the UN Ocean Conference, and led pioneering research into sexual harassment within marine science.
As Founder and former Managing Director, Mads now leads Empower Ocean initiative, WOS’s UN Ocean Decade-endorsed programme tackling the barriers that prevent women in coastal communities from accessing ocean careers. Through fully funded scuba diving, marine science and conservation training, the programme is creating pathways for local women to participate in - and ultimately lead - the protection of their own marine environments.
“Fundamentally, investing in women is protecting the ocean and we're squandering one of the most powerful tools we have for ecosystem resilience by keeping female voices from the ocean conversation.”
Madeline St Clair | Founder and Managing Director, Women in Ocean Science
BLU WILD SWIMWEAR
Entrepreneur
Frustrated by the limitations of traditional academic pathways - and determined to find a creative way to fund herself as an early-career marine scientist - Mads founded oceanwear brand, Blu Wild, in 2018.
What began as an idea alongside her scientific career grew into a global ocean-lifestyle brand, creating sustainable, high-performance swimwear designed by an ocean woman, for ocean women. Inspired by the natural world and built for everything from scuba diving and surfing to freediving and paddleboarding, Blu Wild combined functionality and considered design with a commitment to reducing its environmental footprint.
At the end of 2023, Mads made the decision to step away from running the company to focus on her career in science and filmmaking. In early 2024, Blu Wild was acquired by the Ocean Born Foundation, allowing the brand she had built from the ground up to begin its next chapter, before ultimately closing for good in 2025.
Though the Blu Wild chapter is now complete, building and running the company remains a formative part of Mads’ journey - proving that science, creativity and entrepreneurship don’t have to exist in separate worlds.
Awards & Accolades
Storyteller in Residence (2024–2025)
Oceanographic Magazine | Selected as Oceanographic Magazine’s Storyteller in Residence 2024-5
Fujifilm GFX Regional Grant (2023)
Fujifilm | Grant recipient for storytelling project
International Photography Awards (2023)
British Photography Awards | Honorable Mention for “Drone” category.
Fujifilm GFX Regional Grant (2023)
British Photography Awards | Shortlisted for “Water life” category.
British Photography Awards Shortlist (2022)
British Photography Awards | Shortlisted for “Water life” category.
Ocean Culture Life Storytelling Grant (2022)
Ocean Culture Life | Grant recipient for “Educate” category awarded to support Empower Ocean storytelling.
PADI Ambassordiver (2022)
PADI AmbassaDivers™ are committed to elevating diving in their communities and across the planet.
Ocean Awards (2021)
Blue Marine Foundation | Finalist in Young Initiative Category for work with non-profit organisation Women in Ocean Science.
GoPro & PADI Photo Competition (2020)
GoPro & PADI | 1st Place in Underwater Photo Competition
Marine Science Prize (2018)
Essex University | Recipient of award for outstanding academic achievement and highest thesis mark during master’s degree.
Alfred Russel Wallace Grant (2017)
Alfred Russel Wallace Grant | Grant recipient for coral reef bioacoustics fieldwork project in Indonesia.
Clare Nunn Travel Prize (2017)
University of Exeter | Recipient of travel grant to conduct shark conservation fieldwork in Indonesia.
advocacy & activism
Speaking Engagements
An experienced public speaker who enjoys motivating others to care for the natural world, Mads has enjoyed sharing her passion for the ocean at a number of events across the globe. Mads is also incredibly passionate about leveraging social media for ocean advocacy, and you can find her speaking out on Tiktok, Instagram, YouTube or on her podcast, Ocean Poddy.
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United Nations Ocean Conference | Gender Equity in Coral Reef Communities
Love The Oceans | Marine Megafauna Ecology & Threats
Love The Oceans | Underwater Photography Workshop
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COP26 Extreme Hangout | Gender Equity in Ocean Conservation
COP26 Extreme Hangout | Climate Change Through The Eyes of A Young Scientist
COP26 Arctic Basecamp | Greenland Expedition: A Changing Arctic
Ocean Bottle | No Bullsh*t Sustainability
Bangor University | Marine Conservation Careers
Ocean Mimic | Photography for Conservation
Scuba Digital Dive Show | Whale Sharks of Indonesia
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Ocean Poddy | Podcast Host
Women in Ocean Science Podcast | Podcast Host
The Waterwoman Podcast | Ep. 13
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Carpe Diem Cruises | Manta Ray/Whale Shark Biology & Ecology
Adelaar Cruises | Manta Ray Biology & Ecology
