Emma L. Hickerson was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved to Texas in 1984. She was initially trained as a diver in 1990, and since has logged more than 1250 dives. She has held the position of Research Coordinator for NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) since 1997. During this time she has contributed to over 40 scientific publications relating to the marine environment. She has served as the Unit Diving Supervisor for NOAA’s FGBNMS dive unit since 2005, and has supervised over 5000 dives during over 155 sanctuary research cruises. She has coordinated and led research utilizing SCUBA, remotely operated vehicles, and manned submersibles. She is not only passionate about studying and protecting the marine environment, but also interpreting science through multimedia, including photography, videography, and art.