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Danish decent. Born a Pisces. Grew up by the beach. It seems as if salt water has been coursing through my veins my entire life, and my passion for our oceans has only grown with the years. 

I have become a fierce advocate for protecting our marine environments, which has translated into various endeavors I have pursued alongside the Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit. I have strived to expand my knowledge through research: watching documentaries (Chasing Ice directed by Jeff Orlowski, for one), reading relevant textbooks, and following inspirational individuals that dedicate their time to this cause (Chris Buckard or Jacques Cousteau and the Jacques Cousteau Foundation). I have also engaged in community-oriented initiatives, cleaning up my community beaches with Clean Swell, volunteering with the Coral Restoration Foundation, and developing and selling products with Ocean Bottle help to fundraise money. Alongside these endeavors, I created a nonprofit, Svarrehallaworld, and a website to go with it (svarrehallaworld.com).  

These are where I have thus far focused my time and energy in marine sciences, and where I would continue to put my passion to use. 

Therefore, pursuing an academic and professional career in marine studies has never been a question. My interest in pursuing Marine biology and sciences studies stems from the desire to be part of the solution to the many threats that face our oceans: plastic, trash, overexploitation of fishing resources, oil drilling, destruction of habitats, acidification, coral bleaching, and temperature rise. One issue that particularly piques my interest is that of chemical preservation. 

Norsemen used peat moss as a means of food preservation for organic material. Peat refers to a type of soil containing a high amount of dead organic matter, preserving their catch before long sailing trips. Tannins, found in peat, act as a natural preservative thanks to sphagnum sugar. Unfortunately, a staggering ten years are required for one centimeter of peat to grow without chemical preservatives, which ultimately end up in our oceans. One ultimate goal of mine is modernizing this ancestral traditional Nordic technique by creating a lab-grown peat bog. Achieving this goal could eradicate some of the use and abuse of chemical preservatives. 

My dream is to connect my genetic heritage and cultural patrimony to my future endeavors in order to find a solution for limiting pollutants. Studying and using my knowledge of marine biology would be my way of making a humble impact, making sure our oceans, which have been here long before us, will continue to thrive long after.