Lisa Becking is an associate professor in tropical marine biodiversity at Naturalis Biodiversity Center and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands. As a marine biologist she studies life in the sea. With her work she aims to enhance our understanding and appreciation of marine biodiversity. Her work subsequently informs science-based conservation management. Her work has been valued broadly, for example as a former member of the De Jonge Akademie of the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, receiving grants from the Dutch Science Council (NWO), and the Women for Science Award of UNESCO-LÓréal. Public dialogue and societal impact are an integral part of her work as a scientist. She believes strongly that the dissemination of research findings to a broader public is crucial to attract young talent, and to make society more aware of life in the sea. She works towards this with public speaking, as a columnist, and a National Geographic Explorer. Lisa is program leader of INREEF, focused on the balance of tourism in marine protected areas for coral reefs. Within INREEF she has formed a transdisciplinary team of researchers, educators, conservationists and policy makers from Indonesia, the Dutch Caribbean and The Netherlands.