Photo: Thom Linley
Dr Thom Linley has always been fascinated with fish, how they behave, their ecology and their different ocean habitats.
He is a curator of fishes at Te Papa, and also co-hosts the Deep-Sea Podcast, where he speaks to scientists about their marine discoveries.
Dr Linley was among the first teams to capture video of the world's deepest fish, including those living in the Kermadec Trench, just north of New Zealand.
Various shows have featured his work, including Blue Planet II and Shark Week.
He's also passionate about encouraging neurodivergent people into science.