Shaylyn Potter

Shaylyn was born and raised in small-town Oregon, which she credits for her unwavering love and respect for the natural world. Her passion for the outdoors and exploration began at a young age, and she spent her childhood taking full advantage of what Oregon had to offer—waterskiing, snowboarding, hiking, and camping.

While studying abroad at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia in 2008, Shaylyn began scuba diving—a passion that unexpectedly shaped her career path. With academics following suit to her passion, she earned a Bachelor of Science in marine biology and a minor in chemistry from Oregon State University. Shaylyn’s insatiable curiosity has encouraged her to explore many underwater environments and travel to all 7 continents. Though she loves all sea critters, some of her favorites include: octopuses, nudibranchs (especially the Glaucus atlanticus), and plankton.

Shaylyn’s focus in marine science is using photography education to increase public interest in marine knowledge and conservation. She hopes to spread her passion for our marvelously rich and important oceanic life and create new ocean advocates in our society. Shaylyn would like to encourage you to ditch your single-use plastic items and join her in using more sustainable options in your day-to-day lives (who needs straws, anyway?!). To see more of her work, follow her on Facebook and Instagram:Save.Our.Plankton