ABOUT ME
"As long as I am breathing, I will try to make a difference!"
Christine Figgener (TIME Magazine)
Hi, I am Christine!
I am a marine conservation biologist, author, science communicator, and ocean advocate, who is studying and protecting sea turtles, fighting ocean plastic pollution, and empowering women in STEM.
"I am passionate about creating a community of change-makers"
My claim to fame and shining public moment is a viral video I filmed and uploaded in 2015 that documents the removal of a plastic straw from a sea turtle's nose by my research team. That video was a catalyst for the global anti-straw movement, leading to several straw bans by businesses such as Starbucks, Disney, and Alaska Airlines. The video is by now considered a pivotal moment in the anti-plastic movement and has provided me with an incredible platform for science communication and the conversation around the use of single-use plastics and other environmental issues affecting marine life.
​
My research and advocacy efforts have been featured in popular press articles, as well as different documentary productions, such as the BBC and National Geographic. Because of my advocacy work, I was named a Next Generation Leader by TIME Magazine in 2018, and was a finalist of the feature Texan of the Year by the Dallas Morning News, among other recognitions.
"Together, we can prevent the extinction of sea turtles."
However, a viral video is not all I have accomplished :-)!
I have worked with sea turtles in Central America for over 15 years, applying my research findings to the conservation of these charismatic animals. To foster awareness, I am using my study subjects as ocean ambassadors to connect people to our oceans. A particular interest of mine is to highlight the threats our ocean and its inhabitants are facing, and the difference each one of us can make by changing daily habits.
​
I hold a PhD from Texas A&M University's Marine Biology ID Graduate Program, where I studied the trophic and movement ecology of sea turtles for my dissertation. I am also still actively involved in sea turtle research and conservation efforts with my two organisations Namaka Conservation Science, a scientific consultancy, and Costa Rican Alliance for Sea Turtle Conservation & Science (COASTS), a community-led non-profit in Costa Rica. My mission is to strengthen grassroots sea turtle conservation efforts by developing and executing projects and training and empowering local conservationists and scientists, with a special emphasis on local women.
In 2020, I additionally assumed the role of Director of Science & Education for the US-based Footprint Foundation, whose mission is to educate about the detrimental effects of plastic pollution and to inspire enough change to eliminate plastic from our environment.
​