Shritika Prakash, a marine biologist specialising in marine biodiversity and conservation and now
Founder of Ika Bula Consultants, spends her days in the office or in the ocean.
One day she decided to dive into the digital unknown and she has now built and launched her consultancy’s website which encapsulates her passion for preserving sea turtles and their habitats and showcases her expertise in the field.
The hatchings of a career
Hailing from Suva, Ms Prakash’s journey in marine biology was a natural progression sparked by her love for biology in high school and the availability of scholarships for marine studies at the University of the South Pacific.
A deployment to a turtle nesting site in Macuata for three months, conducting night beach patrol and daily beach surveys to collect genetic data on the sea turtle nesting population, set her trajectory for a career dedicated to these gentle creatures.
“Every student completing their undergraduate studies always hopes to find a job in their field of study. I shared similar hopes,” Ms Prakash said, as she described how her initial volunteer work with sea turtles paved the way for numerous opportunities in Fiji’s marine ecosystem.
Into the ocean
Driven by her passion for marine biodiversity and a drive to use her skills in the market, Ms Prakash founded her consultancy, Ika Bula
Consultants, aiming to collaborate with local stakeholders and support grassroots initiatives for marine conservation.
Transitioning into business, she found herself learning management and marketing skills crucial for running her consultancy, skills she had previously overlooked.
The website for Ika Bula Consultants, built by Shritika Prakash.
Into the online
For Ms Prakash, an online presence signifies an opportunity to raise awareness about endangered species and connect with like-minded individuals.
Her intention to build a website for her consultancy was initially delayed due to uncertainties, but fate led her to me, who provided the guidance and support needed to bring her vision to life.
Ms Prakash expressed amazement at the simplicity of creating a website using Softr and Airtable. She returned home with newfound skills, excited to leverage her platform to showcase her work beyond her expertise in sea turtles.
Her advice to fellow researchers venturing into business or seeking to share their work online is simple yet powerful: “Keep doing what you love doing; do not be intimidated by anyone or anything. Be confident in sharing your work.”
Ms Prakash’s website stands as a testament to the fusion of passion, technology, and commitment, aiming to raise awareness and inspire action for the conservation of Fiji’s marine ecosystems.
Notes from the Author
When I jokingly asked Ms Prakash about her thoughts on the existence of a tortoise emoji and the absence of a sea turtle emoji, her scientific perspective shone through as she explained the evolutionary connections between tortoises, turtles, and terrapins, yet playfully advocated for the addition of a sea turtle emoji.
Known as “vonu girl”, Ms Prakash managed to build her entire website the day of our workshop and hasn’t touched it since.
I’m impressed with how quickly she managed to pick up new concepts to create a site that is relevant to her.
The project section of Ms Prakash’s website dynamically pulls in information from a project spreadsheet she has set up and she can update it as her projects progress. I’m excited to see how she uses her new tech skills to help manage her business and track the impactful progress she’s making – moving beyond a website and towards digitising her operations.
As this article is being published, she is headed to Lau for a project. All the best vonu girl.
By: Shenal Harakh
- Shenal Harakh is the founder of her eponymous software development agency Shenal (www.shenal.online), which builds tech products for startup clients around the world.She is currently based in Fiji and is running workshops to digitally upskill communities. Head to https://fiji.shenal.online/ to sign up and keep up to date with new workshops, or follow her work on Linkedin: Shenal Harakh or Twitter: @shenalyo.
Feedback: jernese.macanawai@fijisun.com.fj