Geraint Rhys Whittaker

Artist-Researcher

Contact

ed.bmfih@rekattihw.tniareg

Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB)
Im Technologiepark 5
26129 Oldenburg

Website

Team

Marine Governance

Status group

Postdoc

Research Area

Conservation and Management

Vita

2022 – Today
Postdoctoral Researcher at HIFMB/AWI, Oldenburg

2021 – 2022   
Teaching Associate, Swansea University

2019 – 2020
Honorary Research Associate, University of Liverpool

2017 – 2019
Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Liverpool

2017 – 2017
Lecturer in Human Geography, Swansea University

2016
Research Assistant Cardiff University

20112016
PhD, Cardiff University

20092010
MSc Nationalism Studies, University of Edinburgh

2006 – 2009
BA (Hons) Geography, University of Liverpool

Research Interests

I am interested in exploring how art-science collaborations can be used to investigate, challenge and change public perceptions on some of the most pressing threats facing our oceans. Specifically, I am interested in how we can combine sound and audio data with artistic methods to investigate the impacts anthropogenic changes are having on our seas. As an artist researcher I will combine both my experience as a practicing musician, film maker and sound artist with my background as a political and cultural geographer.

Projects

Polar Sounds: Polar Sounds is an art-science collaboration in which sound artists from around the world were able to use 50 sound clips from the Arctic and Antarctic seas to create their own compositions. 

Mirrors: Mirrors is a sound installation that follows the acoustic journey of the Minke Whale as it travels from Antarctica to Namibia. A collaboration between HIFMB based artist-researcher Geraint Rhys and Marine Acoustic scientist Dr Ilse van Opzeeland it charts how the vocalizations of the Minke changes with a change in location as it migrates across the oceans.

Lasting 5 minutes, Mirrors combines real acoustic data collected by the Ocean Acoustic Group at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, with a stroyline narrative that emphasises the importance of sound in the marine world.

Ocean Science Jam: The Ocean Science Jam is a new project which brings together musicians, artists, dancers, performers and marine biodiversity scientists to respond creatively in real time to visual and audio cues based on a theme related to marine scientists work at the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB) and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). 

Highlighted Publications

Whittaker, G. R. (2024). Oceans sing, are you listening? Sounding out potentials for artistic audio engagements with science through the Polar Sounds project. Marine Policy, 169, 106347.

Whittaker, G. R. (2023). Creatively connecting science, society and the sea: a mini-review of academic literature focusing on art-science collaborations and the ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, 1234776.

Whittaker G. R. (2023) Creating a Sea ‘We’ all care about? art-science collaborations the ocean and public engagement, society + space.

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