Dr Jamieson, of the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, lectures in Marine Ecology, and is best known for his work investigating the ‘Hadal Zone’. This is a name for the deepest parts of the ocean, reaching 6000-11000m in depth. His portfolio boasts some impressive achievements: he has participated in over 50 deep-sea expeditions, and has had submersibles of his own design deployed in Hadal trenches over 220 times across 18 cruises to the Pacific Ocean. Jamieson also was part of the team that filmed the deepest fish seen alive in 2008, and again in 2014.
His more recent findings have centred around human impact on these deep-sea ecosystems: in 2017, a team led by Jamieson demonstrated the presence of man-made pollutants in the fatty tissues of amphipods (a type of crustacean) taken from Hadal trenches in the Pacific Ocean. In a subsequent study, he and his team explored the level of plastic contamination in these areas, and found crustaceans dwelling at up to 36,000 feet deep with micro-plastics in their guts.
Another Way is a programme that was founded in 2019 by 17-year old Amy Bray from Cumbria. This programme runs projects which range from educational talks to tree planting. It is working towards one main aim, which is to encourage the widespread adoption of environmentally sustainable behaviours. Consequently, this would reignite a sense of values, morals and principles within the community.
Bray, who is herself a patron of the conservation charity Friends of the Lake District, has been dubbed Britain’s answer to Greta Thunberg for her conservation awareness efforts. Speaking of Dr Jamieson’s appointment in News and Star, she said “Another Way’s educational approach to encouraging sustainable lifestyles is based on science. We have heard, and believe, the science. Our focus is to ensure we have the latest information upon which to develop our programmes and projects. Having Dr Alan Jamieson on board as our first patron allows us to maintain this science-based focus. We are extremely honoured.”