But for Thando Mazomba, that simple truth lies at the heart of her work. For Mazomba, the future of the ocean depends as much on people, policy and opportunity as it does on science. For Mazomba, science matters most when it shapes the real world. It cannot exist in isolation; it must be connected to policy, innovation and the people whose lives depend on healthy oceans. "The science is exciting but we can't do science without understanding how people are governed or how it will be implemented in the real world."