Julian has always had a fascination for wildlife and the natural world, despite growing up in metropolitan cities like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Shanghai. In 2019, after he completed a bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Environmental Science from the University of Edinburgh, he dove head first into the world of sea turtle research and ocean conservation as a Research Assistant on a conservation program in Malaysia.
Over the next two years, he supported research and conservation efforts across various on-the-ground sea turtle projects in Costa Rica and Greece, where he worked closely with green, hawksbill, loggerhead, and leatherback turtles, both on nesting beaches and in their ocean habitats. It was through this experience that he witnessed first-hand the detrimental impacts humans were having, not only on sea turtles, but on all marine life. This motivated him to further his studies through a master’s degree in Marine Environmental Management from the University Exeter.
Julian joined the Olive Ridley Project in October 2022 as the Sea Turtle Biologist & Guest Educator based at Six Senses in Laamu Atoll. His role involved researching the foraging and nesting ecology of sea turtles in the area – focusing on photo identification – while also carrying out educational outreach initiatives with guests and the local community. During this time, he helped establish the Maldives’ first Sea Turtle Ranger Programme, led a Mission Blue-funded Hope Spot research expedition in Laamu Atoll – the first of its kind in the region – and coordinated a nationwide socio-economic study assessing the tourism value of sea turtles in the Maldives.
After two years of working in Laamu Atoll, Julian took a short break before rejoining ORP as a Database Assistant in February 2026. In this role, he supports the team by logging, organising, and managing the charity’s extensive sea turtle population research data.
