“I want people to look at the ocean and feel part of it.”
Richard de Hamel is a Marine educator extraordinaire, based in Nelson where he runs his own company called “Marine Maestro”.
With a tonne of wildlife work experience under his belt, Richard returned to university to complete a master’s degree in researching wild birds. Following a job with DOC, a trip to the Auckland Islands and a year spent on Stephens Island, Richard moved back to Dunedin with his family to join the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre (NZMSC). During the lockdown, Richard and the rest of the NZMSC team have been hard at work creating online teaching resources, using all manner of innovative techniques, and all from spots like their home kitchens!
He now continues that work through his own company, “Marine Maestro”. Taking marine science to schools across the country Richard now works with Field-BasedSTEM.Kiwi teaching about the ocean, environmental cues for navigation and Māori fishing techniques.
When it’s not possible to take children into the natural world, de Hamel brings experience into the classroom.
