By Kieran Andrew Khan
Dr Diva Amon is one of the Caribbean’s leading marine biologists, a critical role that few understand the importance of, and even fewer undertake as a field of study and work. As a species, we have come to view the oceans as a space for enjoyment and leisure or as a trade and transport route. Most of our understanding of the importance of these vast bodies of water is based on what we can see of the sea. What lies beneath is, perhaps, even more remarkable and important. And that’s exactly where Dr Amon’s story starts.
Growing up on the shores of Trinidad and Tobago, Diva was drawn to the ocean long before she realised just how far her fascination would take her.
“My parents would take me to the beach, and I was always in the water, snorkelling or on a boat,” she recalls. “I remember looking down into the water, just wishing I could see all the animals I knew were down there.”
Today, Dr Amon is a Visiting Research Fellow at The UWI, combining her love for the ocean with her passion for marine science. She most recently made the news as the winner of the 2024 Anthony N Sabga Award for Excellence in the field of Science and Technology. But her path to becoming a marine biologist wasn't always clear. Like many children in the Caribbean, she initially considered more traditional career routes, influenced by perceived expectations.
“I was strongly considering medicine at one point,” she admits, “but my parents encouraged me to think about what I truly loved, and that’s when I recognised the ocean and nature were my true passions.”
This decision set her on a course of exploration and discovery, one that has taken her from the shores of the Caribbean to some of the most remote and mysterious corners of the planet. After completing her undergraduate studies in the UK, she returned to Trinidad to work at the Institute of Marine Affairs before pursuing a PhD and postdoctoral research, with short stints back at home. In 2014, while at The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Diva learned of a research expedition through Professor Judith Gobin at The UWI, one of the Caribbean’s leading marine biologists, with a shared interest in the deep sea.
“Given that I had not done a research cruise in Trinidad and Tobago waters, I knew I had to be part of it,” Amon explains. “I had worked around the world, but never in my own deep-sea backyard.”
That research is also necessary for the region. Despite our knowledge of the deep sea for oil and gas purposes primarily, we still know so little of the waters that wash every shore of every Caribbean island.
Now back home, as a Visiting Fellow at UWI, Dr Amon is co-supervising three MPhil students. Their research focuses on the largely unexplored deep waters of the Caribbean, an ecosystem that comprises 86 percent of the region’s ocean but remains poorly understood.
“We’re just beginning to uncover the mysteries of our deep-sea environment,” she says. “It’s exciting to be part of that journey, especially with students who are as passionate about marine science as I am.”
Beyond the joys of her field work – that have taken her swimming with manta rays in the Maldives and sperm whales in the Azores, and visiting areas of the ocean that few human beings have ever laid eyes on in Antarctica and the Mariana Trench – is the necessity of better knowing, understanding and valuing our oceans. And while there is hope, there is need for concern and meaningful action.
“The path we are on is a dangerous one – most people will not understand what has already been set into motion across our planet. Having a trained eye, it’s been difficult for me to return to scuba diving right here in T&T where I first started. I can see the losses of the coral and the animals dependent on them around our islands. The loss of coral is really just the canary in the coal mine. In the deep ocean, the temperature changes may be even more impactful given that the animals there may only exist in much smaller temperature ranges.”
As the oceans become more acidic, less oxygen-rich and warmer, there will be significant losses in other biodiversity and ecosystem services, too. Dr Amon reminds us that the ocean is also our "biggest ally” against climate change, noting that "it is one of the biggest resources for absorbing heat and sequestering carbon”, and that as we gradually damage this resource, the vicious cycle that surrounds climate change intensifies.
“It’s poignant that there is almost no place on earth that human activity has not affected – we are finding microplastics even in the deep ocean. We live on a planet with finite resources. We need to think about how we live, each of us, the choices we make each day, and push for legislative changes, too,” she says.
Beyond the classroom, Dr Amon continues to lead deep-sea expeditions and research projects, striving to close the knowledge gap and promote conservation of the world’s oceans.
“Marine science is not just about discovering new species or ecosystems,” she notes. “It’s about using that knowledge to inform the conservation of these areas for future generations.”
She believes in both top-down and bottom-up approaches to change, and works with younger minds and decision-makers through education and policy development respectively.
In so doing, she has also become one of the more visible media faces of the deep ocean, most recently collaborating with major media organisations including National Geographic, Disney+ and Curiosity Stream, and working with Hollywood mega stars like Will Smith to get the message out. She is also a National Geographic Explorer and World Economic Forum Friend of Ocean Action.
Recently, Diva also appeared on the globally-acclaimed, Emmy-award winning HBO show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to discuss the impacts of deep-sea mining for metals and resources found on nodules that are incredibly valuable for energy transitions away from fossil fuels. Her pioneering work also includes her co-founding role of SpeSeas, an organisation dedicated to marine research, education and advocacy in Trinidad and Tobago.
According to the UN, 40 percent of the world’s population lives near the coast, and more than 3 billion people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. The blue economy, or a sustainable ocean-based economy, is key to the survival and well-being of billions directly and the planet as a whole. Despite the implementation challenges, Dr Amon expresses a deep and genuine hope for the future.
“What gives me hope is the younger generation,” she says. “Every time I do a school or university visit, it inspires me how much young people care and how much they want to see a better planet for all, through their own actions and advocacy.”
Her work at The UWI, in the media, and literally in the deep waters of the ocean is a testament to the importance of understanding and preserving the status quo of our most indispensable resource, particularly in a region where it is so critical for lives and livelihoods. And for Diva, every dive, every expedition, just like every media appearance, discussion or school visit, is another step towards achieving that goal.
