In the Field: An interview with Roger Hanlon | Journal of Experimental Biology

Ed. note: In a delightful interview, MBL Senior Scientist Roger Hanlon talks about the seminal experiences that inspired his career, diving experiences both heavenly and scary, and the methods and cameras he uses to study cephalopod behavior in the wild, across the globe.

How did you become a scientist?

I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and I was athletic, but I was always attracted to nature. I was a nerd; I had an organic garden when I was 13 and I was interested in astronomy and plants. When I went to college at Florida State University, USA, I majored in Biology and it just grew on me. I saw the crystal-clear water and beautiful fishes and I was hooked. I learned free diving first, breath hold diving down to 40 feet (12 m), in Wakulla Springs, Florida, where the ‘Tarzan’ films were made in the 1930s and 40s. Then I tried SCUBA diving when I was a senior (4th year) at university.

Where did you go after university?

When I was in my late teens and early 20s it was the Vietnam War era, so there were no choices. After I graduated from college in Marine Biology, I went to be a lieutenant in the army. I spent two years on active duty and ended up in Korea, but when I was decommissioned from the army, I decided that I didn't want to go home. Read more of the article here...

Source: In the field: an interview with Roger Hanlon | Journal of Experimental Biology | The Company of Biologists