After rounding the globe on a record-breaking bio-fuelled boat, she spent eight years at sea, exploring and discovering oceanic gyres – huge areas of plastic accumulation. Emily co-founded Pangaea Explorations, an organisation dedicated to marine education, conservation and exploration via a 72ft sailing vessel. Emily’s commitment to understand and inspire local and large-scale community involvement in tackling the issue of ocean plastic pollution is tireless, and it is for that reason that she has been selected to receive the prestigious SES Hotung Medal 2018 for her outstanding contribution to scientific exploration.