Sacha Dench

When I grew up, I knew I wanted to be ...

I considered all kinds of amazing jobs whenever I encountered any amazing person that happened to do them – from ballerina to lawyer to the much-admired David Attenborough. However, I was a child of the wilderness who loved being in the sea or climbing high trees and I dreamt a lot about flying. My love of the sea and sitting high in trees showed me the natural world is endlessly amazing and in that environment you get to see things that many others don’t. I also saw problems that needed solutions, so I was destined to work in this area – I just needed to find the tools to do it.

Professional

 Top-level responsibilities

 I am involved in research to understand what threatens different migratory species. My team and I use scientific data, including tracking data, aerial photography and video of the critical sites. We also collect anecdotal data by speaking to all kinds of people who live or work around these sites. Another of our responsibilities is to look for people with innovative ideas about saving threatened species and give them support. I use my scientific skills to gather and analyse data on animal movement, looking for unusual activity that might suggest the need for further investigation. I also use my skills to gather human data, such as what people believe about the animals we focus on, including whether they see them as friend, foe or even food.

Day-to-day skills

 I apply my skills as a scientist and my local knowledge of the Kimberley when planning projects, my communication skills when liaising with people in remote areas, and my critical thinking skills when determining the most efficient way to approach a given situation.

Personal

Current location or community

I grew up in Sydney, Kiah and Port Macquarie, and have spent some years in England and Switzerland too.

I am passionate about ...

 Freediving, flying, photography. Helping other people find their own superpowers and showing them how to use them to help nature.

What I would say to 16-year-old me ...

That the people that think you can’t, clearly don’t know you! Follow the things that interest and inspire you, keep learning new skills, and help people doing good to achieve their goals. You will craft an incredible rewarding life.