Marine Scientist, Diver, Artist, Curator, Speaker
Fuelled by a deep love for the ocean
Combining science communication and creative arts to make ocean science and the natural world easier to understand and connect with.
Hi, I’m Cay-Leigh.
My mission is to make science easier to understand, share it in ways that spark curiosity, and bring people closer to the natural world.
I work at the intersection of science and art to reveal the wonders and address the plight of the ocean. Drawing on vast experince in the disciplines of marine science, scuba diving, underwater photography and visual arts, I combine science and storytelling to help people understand and connect with complex ideas.
Currently I coordinate conservation projects within the NSW Government’s flagship Saving our Species threatened species program as well as freelance consulting to scientific institutions, museums, and non-profits as an as an artist, scientist and advocate.
When I’m not developing projects, presenting or travelling, you’ll usually find me painting, drawing or photographing life beneath the surface.
Combining the forces of science and art, Cay-Leigh has paved a unique career recognised by National Geographic Wear ANZ as a youth ocean changemaker, and as one of Piping Hot’s Heroes for the Ocean.
Curator
Cay-Leigh’s exhibitions have forefronted multi-disclipinary artists, designers, technological innovations, museum collection items and Indigenous knowledge to share stories of the ocean and those serving to protect, conserve and restore it.
Exhibitions currently on tour:
— ‘Bidhiinja - Restoring our oyster reefs’ (2024-26), now on permanent display at Murrook Cultural Centre.
— ‘Valerie Taylor - An underwater life’ now on tour as a travelling exhibition in NSW and WA (2026-27).
Past exhibitions:
— ‘Valerie Taylor - An underwater life’ (2023-24) co-lead curator, Australian National Maritime Museum
— ‘Regeneration Ocean’ (2023-24) lead curator, Australian National Maritime Museum
— ‘Shaped by the sea’ (2022) curatorial assist, Australian National Maritime Museum
— ‘One Ocean - Our Future’ (2021) curatorial assist, Australian National Maritime Museum
Artist & Underwater Photographer
Specialising in watercolour, Cay-Leigh’s artworks depict her underwater experiences, interpreting her own underwater photography or manifesting her future encounters with paint and paper. Available for art commissions.
Speaker
Writer
Cay-Leigh’s speaking engagements can be seen in person at events such as the Ocean Lovers Festival or online in webinars and educational content. She passionately supports the next generation of scientists via mentoring university students, upskilling interns and speaking as an industry expert to encourage careers in STEM to over 1500 students so far. Get in touch for speaking engagements.
Cay-Leigh’s writing has been featured in Signals magazine and is an adept content writer for exhibitions, articles, webpages, social media, script and speech writing. Through all mediums she shows her flair for communicating complex ocean sciences with joy, curiosity and holds the interconnectedness of the parallel issues of human rights, accessibility, sustainability and the circular economy.