Gail Sant

Tell us a bit about your current role and responsibilities

I’m a Programme Officer for The Nippon Foundation, University of Edinburgh Ocean Voices programme. The aim of the programme is to amplify the voices of ocean communities, especially in the Global South. What that means is that the Programme tries to bridge gaps in knowledge, capacity and international ocean governance for ocean sustainability through interdisciplinary research and professional development, and by working on international policy.

There are a lot of different elements to Ocean Voices. There is a fellowship, which is where a lot of where my work goes into. This Fellowship aims to partner with (currently) seven ocean taught leaders, especially from small island developing states, and through this Fellowship I help to coordinate professional development sessions.

Ocean Voices is also running an ocean governance course where we invite different experts on topics relating to ocean governance, such as fisheries, discuss how the UN works with developing states and other topical conversations, and we invite these people to come and share their expertise with us. Apart from that, we also have an initiative that aims to empower and help Early Career Ocean Professionals find their voice, their confidence and also their community. For that role, I coordinate the online sessions that we have, and I also do a lot of administrative work around Ocean Voices to help with its running.

What is the most satisfying part of your role?

The thing that I enjoy the most is the fact that through Ocean Voices, I get to work with the most amazing community of ocean leaders from all over the world. It’s so difficult to find a time zone that works for everyone because they’re literally from all over the world. These people help to inspire me, they teach me so much about the world and the ocean, but also about my perspective on how things run in the world and how our systems work. I think it's overall such a good experience for both my personal and professional growth to be a part of this community and to be able to learn from them and have their support as I grow through my job.

Do you have any advice for students looking for employment in your field?

Don't be scared to take the initiative and email the person you're interested in, if you're interested in their work. A lot of my experiences have come from just me talking to people who I admire or who inspire me, telling them what I like, listening to what they like and finding parallels there. Through these connections, you meet people that either need your help or offer opportunities in other aspects. So don't be scared to take the initiative and always recognise that you have something of value to offer.

Tell us a bit about your background and why you chose Edinburgh

I knew I wanted to do a master’s abroad, so I was looking for master’s programmes all over Europe. I knew that my interests were in marine policy, sustainability, ocean governance and even science communication. Also, I have always had an interest in marine biology as well. I didn't find any other programme that connected all of those elements as well as the Marine Systems and Policies course. It was obvious that I had to apply for this one because it was the only one that I found that connected so many diverse interests of mine into a one-year programme.

What did you do for your dissertation?

For my research, I focused on the role of UN Climate Change in safeguarding the most vulnerable small island states, and that coincided with COP26 at Glasgow in 2021. So, since there was that parallel between my research and the fact that COP26 was happening, I had the opportunity to connect with people that were working there, and that led to me being offered a contract with UN Climate Change to work at COP26. This was an incredibly impactful experience. It was my first time being present at an international negotiation of this scale. I learned so much, I met so many important people, and that also helped my career kickstart in a way that I didn’t imagine before. So, through the people I met, I got new offers in terms of jobs, but also just met people that helped me shape my thinking around my interests, which are mainly around the ocean and climate change.

What was the highlight of your studies?

The best part of my time studying here by far is the friendships I've made. I’ve made such a niche group of friends that I wouldn’t have been able to find outside of this programme and it was really nice to get to know them and share our experience during the masters. It has also been so nice to see this friendship evolve into one where we support each other both professionally and personally.

One of the best memories I have during that year was when there was a week where there was a lot of snow. I'm from Malta, so snow is still very new to me, and it was during COVID, so we couldn't really do much. We couldn't go out and we could only be in very small groups, but me and a very small group of friends went up Arthur's Seat. We got a makeshift sledge, and we spent 2 hours or so walking up Arthur's Seat, slipping every time, and then sledging down. It was the most fun I'd had in a really long time, and it was also very new to me. I think it was my first time sledging so I feel like that is a core memory from that year.