Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ

Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ School of Earth and Ocean Sciences PhD student is already making a name for herself as a deep-sea researcher and science communicator, advocating for the preservation of the most remote regions of our planet.

“My connection to the ocean is all about exploration, extreme environments and innovation,” she says.

Despite discovering marine science late in her undergraduate degree, Moronke has since worked in three countries and six organizations. Her current research focuses on hydrothermal vent ecosystems, where mineral-rich, high-temperature water flows into the otherwise cold, dark sea, creating rare environments that support diverse and unique organisms.

Aboard multivessel research expeditions on the high seas—“floating villages” of geologists, biologists, chemists and oceanographers—Moronke controls remote operated submersibles that descend into the deep. So far, she has clocked over 150 days exploring Earth's final frontier.

“I’ve learned so much at sea with specialists of all different types,” she says. “In the control room, we're all surrounded by screens with multiple views of the robot’s view as it descends into the ocean in real time.”

Moronke’s graduate thesis focuses on using a combination of seafloor mapping, photogrammetric surveys and genetics to evaluate microbial communities in environments ranging from active hydrothermal vents to extinct, eroding mineral deposits.

“Because that environment's under such immense pressure and exposed to such high heats—up to 400 degrees Celsius—those microbes are really specially adapted, and have unique compounds within them, which are the basis of drug discovery,” she says.

Bringing deep sea science to the surface

Moronke has received numerous accolades for her achievements. In 2025, she was selected for a King Charles III Coronation Medal under the theme of Nature and Environment, awarded to only 100 Canadians.

In 2022, Moronke received an inaugural UVic Science Emerging Researcher Award (SERA), which she says propelled her graduate research by allowing her to pursue collaborations, networking and other experiences that otherwise would not have been possible. 

“It gave me immense encouragement as well. It was the first marine science scholarship I received in Canada, so it really was a jumping off point for me to solidify my confidence in this field.”

In tandem with her research, Moronke has developed her talents as a science communicator, featured by TEDxÓ£»¨Ó°ÊÓ, CBC News, BBC Wildlife, Global News, The National Film Board of Canada, and The Ocean Exploration Trust, among other organizations. As an active CBC Radio-Canada contributor, she is a science columnist for All Points West, reaching over 500,000 listeners, and is the founder of , a science communication and consultation brand.

“I noticed that there's just so much brilliant science that's locked away in journals,” she says.

Beyond her mission to ignite curiosity and share the magic of exploration, Moronke is determined to draw attention to the impacts of climate change on oceans, which are still 95% unexplored.

“People won't protect what they don't know. I see science communication as a tool to make people personally connected to the deep sea and want to protect it,” she says.

In 2026, Moronke will lead a science team on an all-female expedition to Antarctica to spotlight our changing oceans and is raising funds to bring this mission to life.

Investing in future scientists

Since their creation in 2022, the SERA awards have a track record for supporting tomorrow’s leaders when they need it the most.

The awards promote diversity in science by supporting members of under-represented groups who have shown potential as a scientist in their field through a combination of academic accomplishments and extracurricular activities. So far, there have been 22 extraordinary SERA recipients and, alongside their many accomplishments, they are paying forward this donor generosity to the next generation.

The SERA award supported the work of recent PhD graduate , who researched molecules called organometallic catalysts—the behind-the-scenes workhorses in fields ranging from pharmaceuticals to clean energy. Throughout his degree he was engaged in numerous projects ranging from exploring the intricate mechanisms of chemical reactions and optimizing their analyses using mass spectrometry, to developing a free AR app for students to visualize and manipulate molecular structures in 3D.

“The award opened up time for focused, intentional research,” he says.

Ian also authored a book, , which tells his scientific and personal journey as a chemistry graduate student through a collection of stories, photos, and memories, “sprinkled in with the occasional science-y stuff,” as described on his website. 

Paying it forward

In addition to researching catalysts, Ian also played the part of one by accelerating the progress of emerging scientists as a mentor for nine undergraduate students during his time at UVic.

“I take great pride in the accomplishments of my mentees,” he says. “I am especially proud that four of the students come from underrepresented groups in STEM.” 

Ian has completed his studies at UVic and is continuing his academic journey as an NSERC postdoctoral research associate at Ruhr-University of Bochum in Germany, where he says he hopes to once again act as a mentor in some capacity.

To read more about the impact of donor generosity, visit the UVic Annual Report to Donors.