After graduating with a degree in Natural Science (University of Cambridge, UK), Tom has worked and volunteered for whale research organisations and universities since 2016. As part of this, he interned for the University of Iceland in Húsavík, contributing to photo-identification and behavioural research. During this time, he formed the idea of promoting a more sustainable whale watching industry in Iceland and beyond. This idea has transformed into Whale Wise, with the broader aim of reducing human disturbance to whales, and was the focus of Tom’s PhD with the University of Edinburgh, which he completed in 2023.

Alyssa Stoller grew up on the West Coast of the United States and naturally developed a deep love for the ocean and whales. To pursue her interests, she obtained a BS in Marine Environmental Science and MSc in Marine Systems and Policies. She began her career in the field of whale research in 2014, and specifically in Iceland in 2018. From there, she co-founded Whale Wise, and currently directs the charity alongside Tom Grove. Alyssa has also worked as a naturalist and science teacher, which has provided her with a strong background in environmental education. Additionally, she has created short and feature-length films about whale research, and recently developed a virtual reality education program that is used in Nordic schools and museums with the University of Iceland.

Amelie is currently taking a master’s degree in biological oceanography in Kiel, Germany and a graduate certificate in acoustics at the University of New Hampshire. During three years of travelling before uni she learnt from and contributed to different research groups, following her passion for marine science. Working in whale research along the way she met Tom and Alyssa and since then she’s a part of the team in Iceland. Amelie runs our acoustic research, understanding the underwater soundscape of North Iceland. Her projects include studying the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the acoustic habitat of the humpbacks in Skjálfandi Bay (undergrad thesis), experimentally testing the noise of drones underwater, and describing the soundscape and occurrence of whales of the remote Finnafjörður (MSc thesis). Amelie is also the mum of our second youngest team member, Phil!

Flo graduated from McGill University (Montreal, Canada) with a Bachelors in Biology, with a concentration in marine biology. A class on marine mammals in the Bay of Fundy made her the whale enthusiast she is today. She completed her master’s dissertation in 2019 (Marine Systems and Policy, University of Edinburgh), where she assessed the ability of using drones to measure body condition of humpback whales in Iceland with Whale Wise. Flo now runs our diatom and co-runs our Scars from Above projects, as well as helping with all sorts of Whale Wise research and engagement projects. Her favourite whales are North Atlantic right whales because they are cute, slow and chubby.

Despite growing up in the landlocked Czech Republic, Petr developed a passion for ocean science and marine fauna as a kid watching J. Cousteau’s docs and reading books about the marine environment. To carry on with this passion, Petr obtained a BSc in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen, where he focused on predator-prey interactions of Scottish bottlenose dolphins using acoustics. He then went on to get an MSc in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St Andrews, where he focused on habitat use of Antarctic pinnipeds in relation to oceanographic conditions. Petr has also participated in internships involving research on cetaceans and other marine predators, both in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Atlantic. After joining Whale Wise, Petr assisted with Arctic Sense expedition planning and communication with collaborators. Since then, he has supported the Scars from Above project and has been leading a project on the temporal variability in the acoustic presence of Svalbard’s cetaceans in relation to environmental and anthropogenic conditions.

Jess is a Zoology graduate from the University of Edinburgh. Whilst studying in Santa Barbara (California), she fell in love with living by the ocean and took many marine-focused, conservation classes. She has always felt a calling towards protecting the planet and she strives for a world that allows non-human animals and humans to thrive together. She met the Whale Wise team on a university webinar in her final year in 2021 and instantly was inspired by their work, passion and connectivity as a team! Upon joining, she created a short video for Whale Wise: a poem narrated by the women in the team exploring the importance of female whales! Since, she has lead our Project Porpoise: all about the impacts of the fishing industry on the harbour porpoise (one of the smallest cetacean species). She has joined many field seasons in Iceland, been an intern and also whale watching guide in Húsavík and taught whale and ocean themed yoga at the Húsavík Whale Museum. Jess is very passionate about achieving better animal rights globally, and also goes crazy for white beaked dolphins, loves musicals and barefoot running.

Growing up on an island and practising art, Rosemary decided to combine her two passions into one: using visual communication as a storytelling tool for marine conservation. She graduated from Green Mountain College with a BFA degree concentrating in whale conservation in 2018, and continues to use her degree in designing infographics and educational materials for the awareness of cetacean conservation. She has collaborated with The Nature Conservancy, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, New Bedford Whaling Museum, The Húsavík Whale Museum, and various other environmental-based organizations. She was introduced to the Whale Wise team in summer 2019, where she was interning with the University of Iceland in Húsavík, contributing to photo-identification and behavioural research in humpback whales. She currently operates her own graphic design business in Block Island, creating designs and block prints for cetacean and salmonid research.

After watching a documentary about orcas at the age of six, Synnøve decided she was going to become a biologist. She graduated from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Ås, Norway) with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, and later with a master’s degree in Ecology. After graduating, she completed the Post Graduate Certificate in Education and went on to teach natural sciences for four years before interning with the University of Iceland in Húsavík. It was here that Synnøve met the Whale Wise team! Synnøve contributes to photo-identification and fieldwork.

Johanna started studying her master’s degree in Biological Oceanography at the GEOMAR in Kiel, together with Amelie from the Whale Wise team in 2021. Before her BSc in biology, she worked for several months in Greenland and on Svalbard. There, she worked on land and on ships, which awakened her passion about polar marine and terrestrial biology, how both influence each other, how strongly humans depend on and interact with the nature in these regions and how global change affects polar ecosystems. So, she made conservation biology and polar oceanography one of her major subjects in her bachelor and master studies, by completing a semester abroad at the University Center of Svalbard, the University Centre of the Westfjords in Iceland and the Greenlandic Climate Research Centre in Nuuk. When Johanna heard about Whale Wise for the first time she was very interested in our projects and fascinated about our passion. She offered her help and is currently working with data of the ongoing Scars from Above project from our recent field trips.

Katie discovered her passion for whales during her undergraduate studies in land-locked Tennessee, through the mentorship of professors who kindly let her assist with their whale research projects. After earning a BA in Environmental Arts & Humanities, she studied whales in the Pacific Northwest and the South Pacific and spent additional time on the water by crewing on sailboats. She is thrilled to have joined the Whale Wise team in 2022.

Ívar Örn is a local Icelander from Bíldudalur in Iceland and grew up there. Since childhood, Ívar has been interested in whales and marine life and has, among other things, worked at sea in commercial fishing. Unlike other members of Whale Wise, Ívar has a different background and education as a lawyer. However, Ívar has contributed his knowledge to assist the Whale Wise team, especially regarding citizen science, translations and statistics. Ívar is a proud member of the Whale Wise team and will carry on working with and assisting the other members.

Ellie is originally from the UK, meeting the Whale Wise team whilst living in Iceland. After being obsessed with whales from a young age, she decided to move to the Westfjords of Iceland to pursue her masters degree in coastal and marine management. During a marine ecology class she was finally able to see humpback whales for the first time. Her studies brought her to Húsavík studying marine mammals in the wild and to Svalbard for an Arctic marine biology course. Ellie is particularly interested in anthropogenic threats to whales and management solutions, currently completing her Masters thesis exploring the topic of microplastic ingestion in baleen whales in Iceland. She is thrilled to have joined the Whale Wise team after helping out during the last field season and is looking forward to working on more projects. When not trying to protect the whales, Ellie also works to defend and protect women’s health & rights working with the UK government and the United Nations.

Josie graduated from Bath Spa University with a combined Ba/BSc in Music and Biology in 2021. She spent the following year in Mexico and Belize completing her PADI Divemaster and working in coral restoration. In 2023 she completed her masters degree from the University of Edinburgh in Marine Systems and Policy. Her dissertation focused on whale watching vessel behaviour using GPS data to inform marine spatial planning in Skjálfandi Bay which is how she became involved with Whale Wise. She has continued to work with Whale Wise, assisting with data analysis on multiple projects and is currently pursuing publication of her thesis.

Ben has an international background, originally from Hungary but grew up in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and has lived in Spain, Sweden, and now in Iceland. Ben developed a passion for marine mammals during his upbringing on Grand Turk. While pursuing his undergraduate degree in business and economics, Ben delved into the world of aerial photography as a drone operator, founding his own company in the process. However, the distance from the ocean while residing in the middle of Sweden left him feeling homesick. Seeking to deepen his love for the magnificent creatures of the deep, he decided to pursue his master’s studies in Coastal and Marine Management, allowing him to combine his business management background with his love for marine life. Ben’s journey brought him into contact with the Whale Wise team through a collaboration between his university and the organization. Currently, he is working on his master’s thesis, focused on mapping the distribution of humpback whales in Ísafjarðardjúp to facilitate responsible coastal anthropogenic activities. Ben’s partnership with Whale Wise ensures a close collaboration to achieve meaningful conservation goals. When he’s not scanning the horizon for glimpses of whales, Ben gravitates towards the water, indulging in various water sports such as sailing, kitesurfing, and canoeing.

Laura is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Marine and Coastal Management at the University Centre of the Westfjords in Ísafjörður, Iceland. Originally from Newfoundland & Labrador, she spent more than decade as a broadcast journalist on the east coast of Canada working in radio and television before deciding to channel the curiosity that drove her reporting towards pursuing her lifelong dream of researching whales and other cetaceans. She first learned about Whale Wise through a presentation on Scars From Above at her university and the project, along with their overall aim of reducing anthropogenic disturbances to whales, immediately caught her interest. She connected with the group a few months later and is thrilled to be working with them for her thesis research which will assess the importance of Ísafjarðardjúp for foraging humpback whales through boat and land-based surveys that will be conducted in the summer and fall of 2024.