Aliah Melissa Banchik | Underwater Photographer | Scientist | Drone Pilot | Florida | Australia
Aliah is an underwater photographer, wildlife enthusiast, drone pilot, scientist, and communicator. She has worked underwater more than she has on land and has been fortunate enough to experience the wonders of nature spanning across 6 continents. She graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is now completing her Master's by research at James Cook University in Australia.
Aliah is the founder and president of The FINstitute at JCU: a student-led shark conservation initiative supporting conservation efforts in Australia and Indonesia.
Her goal with this club and her work as a media specialist is to bridge the gap between academia and the general public by curating media that highlights the incredible science going on behind the scenes that are often stuck in scientific journals.
“I am forever grateful for the magical pull of the ocean and how it lured me in and hope I can use my photography to connect the world with it every day.”
What are the fondest memories from your upbringing that you feel impacted your life choices and lifestyle today?
Between Finding Nemo, Spongebob, The Little Mermaid and aquariums, how can you not fall in love with the ocean? In all honesty, I was petrified of being in the ocean when I was younger. I felt vulnerable and scared of the unknown...yet it fascinated me. Through a combination of my dad forcing me to get scuba certified at age 11, saying, "you'll thank me later", to accidentally stumbling my way into a high school marine biology class when the astronomy class was full, my love for the ocean, and consequently, the unknown, was born. I believe that knowledge is the antidote to fear.
Ever since I started my journey of learning about the world beneath the waves in 11th grade, my fear of the ocean has been transformed into pure fascination, igniting a fervent curiosity within me that has led me down a path of adventure, exploration, and discovery.
I am forever grateful for the magical pull of the ocean and how it lured me in and hope I can use my photography to connect the world with it every day.
What path did you choose after leaving school?
I studied psychology (which I loved) initially and had the ability to minor in Marine Biology. As hard as I tried to love psychology, the ocean would catch my attention every summer, leading me to work as a conservation officer in Belize, a coral restoration intern in the Florida Keys, and pursue a semester abroad on the Great Barrier Reef.
After years of trying to push myself towards a career in a "practical" job, I kept getting pulled back to the ocean...and that is where I find myself today.
What/who currently inspires you?
Dr. Sylvia Earle, Steve Irwin, and Cristina Mittermier.
What would you most like to change in the world/environment today?
What I wish I could change is less about the natural world and more about us...humans.
I wish we could all momentarily forget about our material lives and reconnect with our inner wild selves. With nature. Mother earth. I wish that all humans felt the intense connection we all intrinsically possess with the natural world as heavily as I do, once a day, for 5 minutes.
I believe once this connection is felt, no one would dare treat this world the way it is currently being treated...and I believe the first step in doing this is creating an emotional connection to wildlife through media.
Are there any books/documentaries that have guided your thinking, and that you'd like to recommend to other ocean lovers?
Chasing Coral showed me that you don't have to be a marine biologist by training to care deeply about the ocean. And it also taught me to go with to the pull of passion when it comes.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow their dreams as an Ocean Storyteller?
Send it. The things that really matter are out there in nature, and if you find that you are being continuously called to the ocean, listen to that call and dive in. Life is too short to be behind a desk every day.
What legacy do you hope to leave?
I want to inspire pure love and connection for all life on our Earth.
INSTAGRAM: @aliah.in.waterland
WEBSITE: aliah-melissa-photo.squarespace.com
