“I was fascinated by how much the oceans interlink with our own lives and how subtle changes in one area have the potential to cause large scale impacts somewhere else. I wanted a career that was exciting, dynamic and that offered the opportunity to have a positive impact on the planet.”
Why marine meteorology?
Ms Steventon grew up by the beach and always had an interest and love of the ocean. After completing a BSc in marine biology and oceanography at Southampton University, she went on to do voluntary conservation work with manatee’s and seagrasses in the Comoros which further fueled her passion.
Achievements
One of Ms Steventon’s greatest achievements is being the successful applicant for her current role as the UK Meteorological Office Marine Networks Manager. She had a clear intention of applying for this job, so she set about identifying areas for improvement and development early on, dedicating her own time and energy to excel, including enrolling in an Open University course.
Women in ocean science and marine meteorology
She thinks that oceanography and marine meteorology is still largely a male dominated working environment internationally and she hopes to see this balance out in future years.
Overcoming challenges
Finding the confidence to speak up in a room full of people and knowing that they wanted to hear what she had to say, is a challenge that she constantly struggles with. To overcome this, she is participating in personal development courses and constantly forcing herself outside the comfort zone. Ms Steventon attended the JCOMM Women`s Marine Leadership Workshop where not only did she find inspiration from an incredible group of women but also the workshop gave her the tools to look at things from a different perspective.
Advice to young female scientists
“We do not generally believe in ourselves in the same way that men do and we are, in essence, holding ourselves back. (…) Women could do with learning a trick or two from our male colleagues in terms of self-belief. We need to start blowing our own trumpets, knowing our worth and fighting our own corners - no-one else is going to do it for us. If you have something to say, have the confidence to say it and say it with confidence!”
