Marine Biologist of the week: Dr. Richard Smith
This week we pay tribute to the incredible work of Dr. Richard Smith. A marine biologist by training, Richard is also a fantastic photographer and writer who aspires to promote an appreciation for the ocean’s inhabitants and raise awareness of marine conservation issues through his images.
He is recognised for his pioneering research on the biology and conservation of pygmy seahorses, which he began researching in 2007, and was awarded doctorate for in 2011. His work focuses on the gorgonian associated species, Denise’s (Hippocampus denise) and Bargibant’s pygmy seahorses (Hippocampus bargibanti).
Richard’s award-winning photography and writing has featured in many publications including; Scuba Diver AUSTRALASIA and Asian Diver, and he also has tens of cover shots to his name.
Richard is also known for his engaging speeches and has given marine life lectures for many years. He started out at Wakatobi Dive Resort in southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia as in-house naturalist during his PhD research and later became the resident marine biologst aboard the liveaboard Dewi Nusantara around Raja Ampat, Indonesia. In 2013 Richard began to lead his own trips, which take groups of divers to some of the world’s best diving locations. The aim is for divers to get more from their diving by learning more about the marine environment. Richard gives marine life talks during these charters on various aspects of marine biology.
Catch Dr. Richard Smith at ADEX 2016!