(4-minute read)
Hello! My name is Genece Grisby (first name pronounced juh-neese), I am from northern California, USA and I’m thrilled to have been selected as the 2023 North American Our World-Underwater Scholar!
As part of this incredible journey, I will be sharing my experiences through blog updates (be sure to subscribe!). Additionally, you can catch glimpses of my adventures on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Join me as I embark on this experience of a lifetime—I can’t wait to get started!
Ever since I could remember, I was always in or around water. From Bodega Bay to San Diego, my family spent a lot of time visiting the ocean and I loved it. I was always in the 50 degree (10 °C) seawater a little too long or laughing and squealing louder than the waves (according to my mom).
As I got older, my love for the ocean of course was always there, but my knowledge of navigating college and career paths was not. For the first two years of my undergrad I was going through a pandemic and was confused about what I wanted to pursue. Originally majoring in general biology, I was thinking of becoming a scientific artist, high school teacher, or even a mortician. It wasn’t until I took my first biodiversity and ecology course that I thought, “How have I not considered pursuing marine science??”
Obviously, I was late to the party, but no one was surprised when I started talking about changing my major.
In August 2021, after transferring to University of California, Davis, I changed my major and jumped head- first into everything marine science. One of the first things I did was get my open water certification in Monterey, California. Despite the frigid water, terrible visibility, and holes in my wetsuit, I was in love. I immediately began diving more and working towards more advanced certifications. Along with that I began applying to any and all marine science related jobs I could find.
Fast forward to now, prior to my scholarship year beginning, I received my Bachelor of Science in Marine and Coastal Science, finished my first thesis with the Ocean Climate Lab, almost completed my divemaster training, finished my term as president of the Davis Scuba Club, and have worked multiple ocean focused jobs.
I am incredibly proud of the work I’ve done and I have completed so much in the last two years but I know I still have a lot to learn about marine science, diving, and the underwater world. I am going to continue exploring my interests and focus on shark conservation, polar exploration, coastal community outreach, and more throughout my scholarship year. I am ready to get started!
Thank you to the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society and our sponsor Rolex for making this scholarship experience a possibility. I would also like to thank Reef Photo and Video, Nauticam and Light and Motion for my underwater camera setup as well as Aqualung, Fourth Element, Suunto, Halcyon, and DUI for my diving equipment.
