When people hear that I work in ocean science and coastal resilience, they often picture spreadsheets of tide data, engineering plans for seawalls, or long hours in front of wave models. And yes, that is part of my world. But here’s the truth: some of my best ideas don’t come while staring at graphs or reports. They come when I’m writing a poem, tinkering with virtual reality simulations, or even just watching the tiny, colorful creatures in my home reef tank. Creativity, in its many forms, has always been at the heart of innovation, and I believe the ocean desperately needs more of it.
Why Poetry Belongs in Ocean Work
Poetry might sound like the opposite of science. It’s fluid, emotional, and subjective. But I’ve found that poetry teaches me how to observe with depth and patience. A good poem doesn’t just tell you something; it shows you. It forces you to slow down, notice details, and connect dots that aren’t obvious at first glance.
The same skill applies when I look at coastal systems. Mangroves, oyster reefs, and seagrass beds don’t just exist as separate features. They interact, overlap, and influence one another in ways that require careful observation. Poetry trains me to look for these layers. It reminds me that data points are not just numbers; they’re stories about how life persists and adapts.
Poetry also keeps the human element alive in my work. Scientific reports can sometimes lose sight of the communities we serve. A poem about a fisherman losing ground to erosion, or a child marveling at a seahorse, makes the problem more than an abstract chart. It makes it personal. And solutions, to be effective, have to feel personal.
VR as a Tool for Imagination
Now, let’s jump to the other side of the spectrum: technology. I’ve been fascinated by virtual reality for years. Some people use VR for games, but I use it as a mental playground. VR allows me to imagine coastal futures that don’t exist yet.
When I design a shoreline project, I can read models that predict how a wetland might grow or how waves will move. But standing “inside” a virtual simulation of that shoreline does something different to my brain. It gives me perspective. I can see how a family might walk along the water’s edge in the future or how a storm surge might spill into a neighborhood.
VR has also become a powerful communication tool. It’s one thing to show a community a graph of sea level rise; it’s another to let them step into a VR experience where they can watch water levels rise around their own streets. That kind of creative tool makes science real, urgent, and accessible. Without creativity, we risk leaving people behind in the conversation.
Lessons From a Reef Tank
Then there’s my reef tank at home. On the surface, it might just look like a quirky hobby. But tending to a miniature ocean ecosystem in my living room has been one of the most humbling and educational experiences of my life.
A reef tank is full of delicate balances. Corals need just the right lighting, fish require stable conditions, and even tiny shifts in chemistry can cause chaos. It’s a constant reminder of how fragile marine systems really are, and how much care they demand. When a coral thrives under my care, it feels like a small miracle. When something goes wrong, I’m reminded of how quickly things can unravel.
This daily practice of stewardship sharpens my instincts as a scientist. It keeps me grounded in the small-scale realities that mirror the large-scale issues facing our oceans. And honestly, it keeps me motivated. Watching the vibrant life in a reef tank is a reminder of what’s at stake and why the work matters.
Creativity as a Bridge
What ties all of this together is the idea that creativity is a bridge. Poetry helps bridge data and emotion. VR bridges science and imagination. A reef tank bridges hobby and profession. Each of these practices gives me a different lens to see problems and solutions more clearly.
We live in a world where environmental challenges often feel overwhelming. Rising seas, coral bleaching, plastic pollution—the list is long. But I firmly believe that creativity is our most underrated tool. Science gives us the foundation. Creativity shows us how to use it in ways that resonate with people and inspire them to act.
Where Creativity Takes Us Next
I don’t think you have to be a poet, a tech enthusiast, or a reef keeper to bring creativity into ocean work. Creativity can look like a fisherman finding a new way to mend nets, a teacher designing an art project about marine life, or a local government hosting a storytelling night about coastal history. The point is, when we embrace creativity, we see possibilities we might otherwise miss.
For me, poetry, VR, and reef tanks are more than hobbies. They’re part of how I think, how I problem-solve, and how I connect with the ocean on a deeper level. In a time when the ocean needs every ounce of innovation we can offer, creativity might just be our best untapped resource.