Elin Meek
Plymouth
Summary
Policy and public affairs professional with over three years' experience translating complex scientific evidence into influential policy recommendations. Proven ability to influence evidence informed policymaking, communicate complex evidence to diverse audiences, build strategic partnerships with stakeholders, and lead cross-disciplinary projects. Passionate about shaping policy that delivers lasting benefits for nature, climate and society.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Policy Officer and Research & Impact Services Officer
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Plymouth, Devon
10.2023 - Current
- Developed and leading PML’s National Policy Engagement Strategy.
- Translate complex scientific evidence into policy-relevant insights, produce clear and persuasive written and oral briefings, tailored to different audiences.
- Monitor emerging policy and legislative developments to inform organisational priorities.
- Lead on the submission of evidence to government consultations and parliamentary inquiries.
- Represented PML at 6 high-profile parliamentary and policy events (2025/26).
- Coordinated participation in parliamentary events the Parliamentary Knowledge Foundation partnership, at Evidence Week in Parliament and The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition.
- Designed and delivered Policy Engagement Training (2025), trained 10 researchers.
- Built credible relationships and contacts with parliamentarians, government departments, NGOs, academia, and industry to influence policy discussions and foster collaborative partnerships.
- Manage a £3+ million project portfolio (8 projects) funded by ESA, EU Horizon, and the Wellcome Trust, working with international consortia (10-30+ partners).
- Deliver project reports, meeting minutes, budget monitoring, task prioritisation, risk management, and science communication.
- Experienced in collaborative working, across multidisciplinary teams.
- Design and implement impact frameworks (Theory of Change, MEL plans). Conduct evidence synthesis and literature reviews.
- Supported 7 successful proposals in 2025 (awarded £2 million+ funding).
- Organised and delivered international events: Evidence-Based Marine Spatial Planning with The Crown Estate and ESA’s Ocean Carbon from Space Workshop.
- Qualified Facilitator (Dialogue Matters), with experience managing complex multi-stakeholder dynamics, and applying creative and adaptive approaches to support dialogue (ESA co-location event (2026), Defra Knowledge Exchange, ESA Carbon from Space workshop, Ocean Colour End user workshops (2025), PML’s July Impact event (2024)).
- Qualified in stakeholder mapping and engagement techniques (Dialogue Matters).
- Co-author on best-practice guidance: COMPASS in Action: Best Practices for Collaborative Objective Mapping and Proactive Impact Planning (in review).
- Policy and Public affairs
Project Officer
Sharklab Malta
03.2022 - 06.2022
- Delivered a campaign advocating for the protection nursery sites of the critically endangered bull ray, engaged stakeholders and led a public petition.
- Interpreted qualitative and quantitively evidence to make compelling recommendations for action, and disseminated through workshops and public engagement activities. Fostering community support for elasmobranch conservation.
- Engaged local fishers in the Egg Case Recovery Project, working with them to extract egg cases from sharks and rays for the hatch and release programme.
Project Researcher
Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation
09.2021 - 12.2021
- Managed the Invasive Species Awareness Project, delivering community engagement initiatives to improve understanding of non-native species.
- Undertook field surveys to build on more than 25 years of continuous field research in the Aegean Sea.
- Analysed ecological data (R and QGIS) and produced technical reports.
Education
OGP Scholarship -
Sea Sense
06-2021
MSc - Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation
University of Exeter
01-2023
BSc Hons - Marine Biology and Oceanography
University of Plymouth
01-2021
A Levels - Biology, Chemistry, Geography, EPQ -The impact of ocean plastic pollution
Monmouth School for Girls
Skills
- Evidence synthesis
- Science communication
- Public affairs and stakeholder engagement
- Facilitation and co-design
- Project management
- Microsoft packages
Custom
- In Evidence We Trust UPEN conference, 2026
- International Environmental Law Unitar, 2026
- Science for Policy - Maximise your Policy Impact EU, 2025
- Policy Engagement NERC ESRC, 2024
- Co-design for the Ocean Decade OceanTeacher, 2024
- Stakeholder Mapping Dialogue Matters, 2024
- Stakeholder Facilitation Dialogue Matters, 2023
- Science Communication Mindfully Wired Communications, 2022
Timeline
Policy Officer and Research & Impact Services Officer
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
10.2023 - Current
Project Officer
Sharklab Malta
03.2022 - 06.2022
Project Researcher
Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation
09.2021 - 12.2021
OGP Scholarship -
Sea Sense
MSc - Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation
University of Exeter
BSc Hons - Marine Biology and Oceanography
University of Plymouth
A Levels - Biology, Chemistry, Geography, EPQ -The impact of ocean plastic pollution
Monmouth School for Girls