Kenia Marcano (she/her) is a 23-year-old student at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia. She has always been deeply passionate about science, which has shaped her life and academic journey.
Kenia is a national of the beautiful twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in the Caribbean. Apart from T&T, Kenia has resided in five other countries, Ecuador, USA, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and Australia. Having lived around the world her whole life, Kenia has gained a unique perspective on the varying ways nations prioritize ocean conservation and their marine industries. It was this global experience that inspired her to pursue a career in marine science, with a specific goal of advocating for better ocean and marine industry practices upon her return to her homeland and the wider Caribbean and Central American Region.
Kenia is currently in the final term at UNSW pursuing a BSc. Degree in Marine and Coastal Science. Her secondary education was shaped by the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, having attended international schools across different continents. This experience required her to quickly adapt to diverse educational systems, including the British and American curricula, further fostering her resilience and adaptability.
Her passion for ocean conservation was ignited by a personal realization during visits to Trinidad and Tobago, where she observed the country’s severe waste management challenges, particularly in the avoidance of the excessive use of plastics and Styrofoam materials in the food and beverage industry. This concern led her to write a school essay on the issue and conduct research at the Environmental Management Authority, where she uncovered statistics about the nation’s waste production that troubled her. Kenia recognized that many of Trinidad and Tobago’s environmental challenges stemmed from a lack of awareness about ocean conservation. Since then, she has dedicated herself to raising awareness and advocating for sustainable practices in her community.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Kenia has demonstrated her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for entrepreneurship and ocean innovation, by competing in two startup competitions. At the INTERCHANGE competition, she won third place out of 30 teams. This competition focused on developing business acumen, including building a business model and delivering a successful pitch. Kenia’s team created a smart city app concept that earned them recognition and a meeting with Lucy Cooke, CEO of SpaceDraft company. Her entrepreneurial efforts continued with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) New Wave competition, where she placed in the top eight out of 20 participants. This competition emphasized empowering women to launch their own businesses, and Kenia’s pitch once again showcased her leadership and innovation.
As an active member of the Ocean Youth (OY) advisory team, Kenia works alongside leaders such as Claudette Rechtorik, founder of Ocean Youth and Wayne Walters, founder of Blue Crew. In this role, she contributes to initiatives such as Innovocean by the Ocean Impact Organization, the Commonwealth Sustainable Ocean Plan, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. She is involved in developing an app aimed at encouraging sustainable actions, for which she designed the wireframes.
Kenia’s dedication to marine science, ocean conservation, and entrepreneurship continues to drive her forward, as she works toward making a meaningful impact on her community and the world.