Meet the EGCP Interns
Corinne Meinert
Mariia Topol
Iona Macloud
Corinne Meinert earned an MSc in Marine Biology with a specialisation in fisheries from Texas A&M University in 2018. Her career has involved a wide range of data-driven environmental projects, including wetland restoration and initiatives to reduce fisheries bycatch. After moving to Aberdeen in 2022, she has enjoyed exploring all that the Grampian region has to offer, from hiking to open water swimming. She looks forward to contributing her experience and enthusiasm for fisheries and the marine environment to EGCP.
Studying Mathematics and Physics at the University of Aberdeen. Was on Monitoring, Mapping and Modelling Coastal Erosion of Golf Courses: Ground Control for Drone Image Acquisition QUADRAT research placement under the supervision of David R. Green.
Keen on hiking and bouldering.
Iona Macleod graduated from SRUC in 2024 with BSc (Hons) Wildlife and Conservation Management. During my studies I volunteered with Dr Sarah Marley carrying out shore-based bottlenose dolphin surveys at Aberdeen Harbour. I enjoyed this experience so much it led to studying the environmental and anthropogenic impacts of dolphin occurrence in the harbour for my honours project. Since graduating I completed a stint as a drone intern for Claire Stainfield, assisting with seal surveys at Newburgh beach for her PhD project. I also continued helping with dolphin surveys over summer, got the opportunity to work as a research assistant on a marine mammal acoustics project, and implemented my graphic design skills to create logos for 'Aberdeen Marine Mammal Project' and 'Seal Snap'.
Cathryn Lovie
Shaleen Sharma
Cathryn is one of the EGCP’s summer interns, working on the ‘State of the East Grampian Coast’ project. Last year she worked on the 2023 beach litter survey and report, assessing the condition of East Grampian beaches.
She is a University of St Andrews student, studying Environmental Science and Geography. As of September 2024, she will have started 3rd year, and by 2026 will graduate with a BSc. Physical Geography has always been her favourite subject, and thus the rugged, geologically fascinating coastline of St Andrews seemed like the perfect place to further that passion.
She grew up in the leafy suburbs of Aberdeen, so has always been near both forests and coast. With the beautiful Cairngorms nearby, it would have been difficult not to develop a love for all things natural. She has spent time volunteering with the EGCP and Aberdeen City Council Rangers, experiences that have solidified her pursuit of a career working with nature.
Shaleen Sharma is a qualified lawyer with around five years of professional experience in legal and policy research, with a particular focus on energy, environmental, and sustainability issues. He recently completed a Master of Laws (LLM) in Energy Transition Law at the University of Aberdeen, where his studies explored how legal and policy frameworks can support a fair and effective transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future. Shaleen has gained practical experience through policy-focused roles, including a summer internship with the University of Aberdeen, contributing to sustainability and climate adaptation initiatives in the North East of Scotland. He is currently supporting work on marine and coastal policy, with interests in marine spatial planning, environmental regulation, and the governance of coastal and marine resources. He is passionate about using law and policy to protect coastal and environmental heritage, support community resilience, and help shape more sustainable and climate-friendly approaches to managing our natural environment.