Caley Anne McIntosh Charts Own Course

Marine Mammal Medic...and More!

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

Caley Anne McIntosh is a Millennial with a mission. A marine mammal medic and more, she's making significant contributions in zoology and marine biology.

McIntosh, who graduated from Scotland's University of Dundee in 2014, has received several awards in biology, including the prestigious D'arcy Thompson Commemorative Medal, awarded to the best 1st class honours student in biological sciences.

 

"I have adored animals of all shapes and sizes since I could walk," McIntosh told SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel. "As a toddler, I carried around a bag of toy farm animals with me everywhere I went!" 

When she was 16-years-old McIntosh completed a Nuffield Science Scholarship at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland's oldest university, founded in 1413. She decided to major in zoology because it provided "a broader understanding of all organisms, both marine and terrestrial."  

 

SurfWriter Girls are amazed by all the things McIntosh has accomplished in such a short time. Granted the rank of Associate Member of the Royal Society of Biology (AMRSB), McIntosh has a broad range of experience both on land and sea.

From researching the behavior of meerkats and assisting in seal rescues and penguin rehabilitation to mapping coral reefs in the Cayman Islands and tracking whale routes in Iceland, McIntosh is in the lab and out in the field.

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Along with this, McIntosh is certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) with experience supervising student divers, overseeing dive set ups and site management activities, and search and recovery operations.  

 

As a marine mammal medic for the east coast of Scotland, McIntosh was an aquarist for Scotland's National Aquarium where she did everything from diving with the sharks to conducting daily zoological checks of the sea life and recording the animals' movements and activities.

Currently based in Iceland, McIntosh is a cetacean (whale) researcher, cataloguing whales for the Elding Adventure at Sea company. She documents whale sightings, records behavioral data and tracks the whales' routes in various weather conditions.

 

Asked why she loves her chosen career path so much, McIntosh says, "I truly believe that Life Science is the most exciting and dynamic field to be involved in right now. With current issues, such as human population growth, overfishing, and global warming, oceanic conservation has never been so important!”

“As (marine biologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence) Sylvia Earle once said, 'Our actions over the next 10 years will determine the state of the ocean for the next 10,000 years.'"

As for her future plans, McIntosh has big ones:  She plans to complete a Masters in Marine Mammal Science and "I would ultimately like to become a Marine Ecologist for a Consultancy at some point in the future. The dream would be to set up my very own Ocean Foundation one day!"

 

 Many people have questioned when the Millennials will leave the nest and become self-sustaining adults, putting their abilities to good use and doing something worthwhile.

One look at what Caley Anne McIntosh is doing and you can see that this Millennial is well on her way! 

SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

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