Our Founders

Dr. Pernilla Carlsson, Ph.D.

Scientist, environmental chemistry, NIVA, Tromsø, Norway 

Pernilla grew up on Sweden’s beautiful rugged west coast which stretches north from Gothenburg to the Norwegian border. The region features fjord-like lakes, charming coastal towns and a vast archipelago of 8000 islands, islets and skerries, whose distinctive Bohus granite glows orangey-pink in the setting sun. This ignited a passion for the sea as well as diving and exploring the coastal habitats, which later evolved to a love of marine science.

After receiving a MSc in marine and analytical chemistry from University of Gothenburg (GU), Sweden, Pernilla continued working, securing a PhD from UiT -Arctic University of Norway, working at UNIS (University Centre in Svalbard) focusing on analytical and environmental chemistry - persistent organic pollutants in arctic food webs. Today she’s a researcher in environmental chemistry at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). Her main focus rests on understanding biological systems, from a chemist’s perspective, and what the transfer and impact of pollutants is on the marine environment. Together with her colleagues at NIVA, Pernilla has conducted site experiments on sea urchins and kelp in Northern Norway which inspired her to help identify factors that have an ecologically positive restorative impact on the marine environment.

As a scientific diver, Pernilla brings tremendous insight into the Tarevoktere project.

Marcus Boyne

Mathematics & Statistics Masters student
UiT, Tromsø, Norway

Originally from Vadsø, located on Norway’s arctic coast, an area historically steeped in a rich fishery and seafaring culture. Marcus discovered diving while on vacation. Initially, his love of diving was shaped by the incredible beauty and marine diversity of his various destinations from Norway to the Mediterranean, which was later increasingly informed by the damage caused by pollution and environmental degradation.

Coastal restoration via urchin removal to encourage kelp coastal regeneration was therefore a natural fit as he sought to unify his twin passion of diving and positive environmental impact.

Today Marcus is actively engaged in urchin removal to encourage coastal habitat restoration. He is continually impressed by how the environment can heal itself when given a little help. Moreover, he is inspired by the ‘win-win’ scenario that his efforts help put a high end and highly sought-after seafood product in the market, and thereafter providing Tarevoktere with further resources to continue to remove more urchins and restore the kelp forests.

When not diving, Marcus can be found studying for his masters of science degree (MSc) in mathematics and statistics at UiT (Arctic University of Norway).

Maria B. Hagelund

Geology student UiT, Tromsø, Norway 

Maria has a deeply ingrained love of nature shaped by the Norwegian concept of ‘friluftsliv’. Loosely translated as “open air life,” it’s ultimately a love of nature, recreation, rejuvenation and the restoration of balance among living things.

Her childhood was spent in Ringsaker, two hours north of Oslo, located beside Norway’s largest lake – Mjøsa. A rich agricultural area renowned for animal husbandry, arable farming and cultivation of fruit and vegetables made her very aware of how the food we eat is produced. Likewise, it made Maria appreciate and understand how nature works, which has resulted in her interest in the environmental changes we can see today.

The love of nature was further shaped by snorkelling in the red sea and observing the coral reefs and the rich marine life which eventually resulted in Maria gaining her divers licence.

Currently she’s studying for a master in geology at UiT (The Arctic University of Norway), renowned for its focus on the arctic and fishery fields. Maria comments that, ‘Tarevoktere allows me to contribute on two levels; firstly, by removing a pest you’re helping to restore the ecosystem, and secondly, using the pest as a resource for economic benefit will give an incentive for multiple groups of people to contribute, both on the environmental side and the business side of the project.’