Dr Easkey Britton

Dr Easkey Britton is a marine social scientist with a PhD in Environment and Society from University of Ulster. Her work explores the relationship between people and nature, especially water environments, or ‘blue space’. As a research scientist at the National University of Ireland Galway, she contributes her expertise in blue space, health and social wellbeing on national and international research projects including the EU-funded Horizon2020 project on Seas, Oceans and Public Health in Europe (SOPHIE). A life-long surfer, her parents taught her to surf when she was four years old and she channels her passion for surfing and the sea into social change. Her work is deeply influenced by the ocean and the lessons learned pioneering women’s big-wave surfing in Ireland where her performances in the wild Atlantic earned a global World Surfing League (WSL) Big Wave nomination in 2011 and 2013. She introduced the sport of surfing to women in Iran, which led her to be invited to give an inspiring TEDx talk: Just Add Surf and film the ward winning documentary Into the Sea in 2013. Passionate about facilitating creative & collaborative processes, she designs and delivers global leadership events specialising in experiential learning, nature connection and social impact, including the annual Wavemaker leadership retreat.