Cristina Claver, PhD

What’s the work that you do?

I work in marine research using environmental genetics (eDNA) to study ocean biodiversity. My work focuses on marine species such as deep-sea fishes and cephalopods as well as gelatinous organisms like siphonophores, and on reconstructing cetacean diets, including sperm whales. I am now starting a new project that aims to recover humpback whale genomes directly from sea water and compare them with traditional population genetics data in the North Altantic. I will also use eDNA to detect and locate elusive species such as narwhals in Greenland.

What keeps you going?

I am driven by a deep fascination with the ocean and a lifelong curiosity about how it works. What motivates me most is the idea that understanding marine life is essential to protecting it (especially whales) for future generations. I am passionate about filling knowledge gaps, particularly for elusive or poorly studied species, and turning curiosity into meaningful conservation outcomes. Research allows me to combine my love for the ocean, my commitment to environmental protection, and my desire to keep learning, questioning, and discovering something new every day.

What’s your message to the world?

The world needs balance. Nature thrives on equilibrium, and when we disrupt it without understanding, we all lose. My message is simple: we must understand in order to protect; and protect in order to thrive. In the polar oceans and beyond, knowledge is not a luxury; it is a responsibility. By listening to the ocean, studying its most elusive species, and respecting its limits, we give future generations a chance to inherit a living, resilient planet.