Conor Ryan

He/Him

I am gay and I am a whale biologist.//

Working in remote field sites or with small teams on boats/ships for months on end is challenging at the best of times. It is a necessary part of my job: conducting field based research on whales in understudied areas. I love it. But unfortunately I cannot think of a single gay role model in my field when I started out in this field of research. I kept my sexuality hidden from my colleagues. Thankfully since coming out at work (when I felt it relevant to do so), I’ve not had any negative experiences. I am a keen believer that in order to do a challenging job to the best of my ability, I must be afforded the chance to be myself, so that I can put my heart and soul into it! I hope that the next generation of scientists can be themselves right from the outset, and that they have visible role models that they can identify with.

Twitter and Instagram: @whale_nerd

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Conor_Ryan