Alison’s passion for marine life, particularly her fascination with chondrichthyan fauna, stems from her early upbringing influenced by her father, an avid diver and author. Her journey began at a young age when she obtained her junior PADI open-water SCUBA certification at just eleven years old. Alongside her twin brother and uncle, she explored the challenging environments of the UK’s cold and murky flooded quarries. Over the years, Alison’s commitment to the underwater world grew steadily. During her summer breaks, she worked as a dive instructor in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, honing her expertise. In 2006, she graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Marine Biology from the University of North Wales, Bangor. In January 2007, Alison relocated to Gansbaai, South Africa, where she has dedicated herself to the study of sharks for nearly two decades. Her MSc thesis on white sharks, completed in 2013 through the University of Cape Town, marked a significant milestone in her research journey, which has been consistently focused on understanding the spatial ecology of white sharks. Alison’s recent doctoral research at Rhodes University has led the work on the novel interactions between killer whales and white sharks in South Africa. This work meticulously investigates the interactions and the ecological, economic, and safety implications associated with these phenomena. With nearly twenty years of dedicated experience, Alison stands as a respected figure in the field of marine science in Southern Africa, providing critical insights into the conservation and understanding of the region’s diverse and delicate marine ecosystems.