Emma Smart
Freshwater Fish Ecologist
emma@wadifish.com

 

Personal Profile

Emma Smart has had an active interest in freshwater fish conservation for over 10 years, working voluntarily at Chester Zoo Aquarium where she became involved in the captive breeding of endangered species. Emma studied for a degree in Marine Biology at the University of Liverpool where she graduated with honours and won the Ellis award for Freshwater Biology. Subsequent Post-graduate research at the University of St. Andrews involved conservation and environmental survey work on endangered freshwater fish species and their habitats in the arid regions of central Mexico.

Emma spent two years working in Dubai, where she was employed as Scientific Advisor and Production Manager on Arabia's first wildlife documentary series 'The Cycle of Life'. This involved planning filming and research expeditions and spending over 10 months traveling across Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. Throughout this time, Emma carried out baseline surveys of wadi habitats and their freshwater fish populations and it was this initial research and a passion for Arabia that gave rise to establishing the 'Wadi Fish' project.

The research carried out in the Wadi Fish project will provide the data for a PhD, through the University of Plymouth, but will continue to benefit wadi habitat conservation through various environmental awareness, educational and on-going collaborations between local and international institutions and individuals.