SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
From Accidental Storyteller to Purpose-Driven (Science) Communicator.
A viral video I filmed and uploaded in 2015 made me into an accidental storyteller, and also provided me with the Aha! moment that made me realise the power of social media and storytelling for science communication.
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Ever since I have embarked on my journey as a science communicator with a purpose.
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The Videos that provided me with a Platform ..
In 2015, I filmed and uploaded a video which shows my research team extracting a plastic straw from the nostril of a sea turtle in Costa Rica.
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Not as much attention received another viral video of mine that shows my research team removing ghost fishing gear from a sea turtle in 2016.
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These two videos helped increase public awareness of ocean plastic pollution and acted as a catalyst for the global anti-single-use-plastic movement. They also provided me with an incredible platform for my science communication.
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You can subscribe to my YouTube Channel here.
Media Library
Selection of Press Coverage of My Work
2023 | Die Schildkrötenretterin (Tina)
2023 | Die Schildkrötenretterin​ (Bella)
2023 | Ein blaues Wunder? (Bild der Frau)
2023 | Retterin der Schildkröten (Für Sie)
2023 | "Sie stehen für alles, was im Meer schiefläuft" (Öko-Test)
2023 | Did plastic straw bans work? Yes, but not in the way you’d think. (Grist)
2022 | Meet the marine biologist whose video pulling a straw from a sea turtle’s nostril sparked a global movement (Independent)
2020 | Sister Sirens of the Sea: Ila Fox Loetscher, Christine Figgener and Connie Hagar (TPW Magazine)
2019 | Do You Really Need a Straw With That?​ (New York Times)
2019 | Straw Wars (SLATE)
2019 | Footprint Recognizes Marine Conservation Biologist Christine Figgener With 'Footprint Ocean Hero' Award (PR News Wire)
2018 | Return of the olive ridley: Sea turtles make spectacular comeback in Mexico (Los Angeles Times)
2018 | TIME Next Generation Leader - Ending the Age of Plastic (TIME)
2018 | How a Texas A&M scientist's video of a sea turtle soured Americans on drinking straws (The Dallas Morning News)
2018 | She Recorded That Heartbreaking Turtle Video. Here's What She Wants Companies Like Starbucks to Know About Plastic Straws. (TIME)
2015 | This Heartbreaking (and Graphic) Video Will Make You Rethink That Plastic Straw (HuffPost)
2015 | How Did Sea Turtle Get a Straw Up Its Nose? (National Geographic)
TV & Film Appearances
2023 | ZDF - Hannes Jaenicke: Im Einsatz für Meeresschildkröten (2023/05/09) (on-camera expert)
2023 | ZDF - Volle Kanne: Im Einsatz für Meeresschildkröten - Hannes Jaenicke und Christine Figgener im Gespräch (2023/05/09) (interview)
2023 | SAT1 - Frühstücksfernsehen: Retterin der Schildkröten (2023/04/28) (interview)
2023 | NDR - DAS!: Meeresbiologin Dr. Christine Figgener (2023/04/17) (interview)
2023 | CGTN - Environment Buzzword 2022: A saddening revelation from a sea turtle conservationist (2023/04/02) (interview)
2023 | ZDF - Hallo Deutschland: Meeresbiologin in Costa Rica (2023/03/06) (portrait)
2022 | RTL - EXPLOSIV: „Zur Not habe ich Hund und Machete“ - Christines gefährlicher Kampf für Meeresschildkröten (2022/10/20) (portrait)
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2021 | SAT.1 - Akte: Die Schildkrötenretterin: der ewige Kampf gegen Plastik (2021/04) (portrait)
2020 | RTL - EXPLOSIV: Christine Figgener: Ihr Kampf gegen Umweltverschmutzung geht weiter (2020/09/14) (portrait)
2020 | Smarter Every Day: E239 Everything about Sea Turtles (YouTube) (on-camera expert)
2019 | RTL - EXPLOSIV: Diese Frau befreit Meerestiere von Plastik
(2019/11/19) (portrait)
2019 | CBC - The Nature of Things: Turtle Beach (S58E17)
(on-camera expert/ featured researcher)
2018 | ARTE - La Vie Secrète d'un nid de tortues marines/ Im Nest der Meeresschildkröte (on-camera expert/ featured researcher)
2018 | BBC - Nature’s Turtle Nursery (on-camera expert/ featured researcher)
2018 | ALJAZEERA -The Stream: What is the Real Impact of the #strawban? (2018/07/23) (on-camera expert)
2017 | STRAWS, a documentary film about single-use plastic straws (Brook Productions, on-camera expert)
2014 | BR - Paula und die wilden Tiere: Wie Schildkröten Eier legen (E50) (on-camera expert)
2014 | BR - Paula und die wilden Tiere: Fit wie ein Faultier (E51)
(on-camera expert)
2014 | BR - Paula und die wilden Tiere: Warum nickt der Leguan? (E52)
(on-camera expert)
Podcasts & Radio Appearances
2022 | Rewildology – "Ep. 61 | To Spend One Day in Her Shoes: Stories from a Marine Biologist with Christine Figgener, PhD"
2021 | Good Viral – "Interview with Dr. Christine Figgener"
2021 | Stuff To Blow Your Mind – "A Chat About Sea Turtles with Christine Figgener"
2021 | Fancy Scientist – "#66: Sea Turtles and Straws with Christine Figgener"
2021 | So You Want to be a Marine Biologist – "Chris Figgener, PhD: Sea Turtles, Plastics, And Pivotal Moments (#55)"
2021 | The Darin Olien Show – "#80 Christine Figgener on Sea Turtles vs. Single-use Plastics"
2021 | Helden der Meere – "Rettung der Schildkröten - mit Meeresbiologin Dr. Christine Figgener"
2020 | Into the Wilderness with Byron Pace – "#171 Science Shorts: Christine Figgener, Ph.D., Sea Turtle Conservation"
2020 | Science Vs. – "Coronavirus: Labs Go Dark" (Gimlet)
2020 | SprechLoud – "Die Deutsche Umweltheldin"
2020 | Yakademia - "E09: Episode 9: Research Hurdles and Sea Turtles - Chris Figgener"
2019 | Unsere Umwelthelden (Radio Vest, 2019/12)
2019 | Wildly Opinionated – "E14: The Sea Turtle Straw Lady"
2019 | Speak Up For Blue – “SUFB 806: Sea Turtle Week with Christine Figgener”
2019 | The Informaniacs – "Christine Figgener aka the "Sea-Turtle-Straw Lady" (WTAW, 2019/04/22)
2019 | 1Live (WDR, 2019/04/12)
2019 | Let’s Rethink Food – “E7: Safeguarding Earth with Food” (EAT-Lancet)
2018 | Science Vs. – “Plastics: The Final Straw?”(Gimlet)
2018 | Higher Ed Social – “Christine Figgener & the Sea Turtles” (ConnectEDU Network)