After nearly 4 decades, Marguerite St Leger Dowse has retired from her role as researcher for DDRC. Starting her days in the chamber at Fort Bovisand, Marguerite, in 1993, helped to promote a fundraising campaign to support the construction of a new base in Plymouth.
This included a ‘Global Raffle and in total raised over £125,000 helping DDRC to establish its new location on Plymouth Science Park.
Marguerite’s passion for diving and skills in research led her to study women in diving and culminated in her book ‘Women and Pressure’. She was also instrumental in compiling and presenting many and varied surveys under the DDRC ‘Health of Divers’ study programme.
In 2005 she was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh’s Prize annual prize given to the best underwater scientific project carried out by a BSAC member and in 2015 she received the ‘Associates Award for Excellence in Presentation’ at the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) conference.
Marguerite is also a proud member of the ‘Women Diver’s Hall of Fame’.
We all wish Marguerite a very happy retirement indeed.
Marguerite's many achievements
18 Published peer-reviewed papers
Headed up seventeen years of projects researching women and diving, the effects of the menstrual cycle on diving safety, and diving whilst pregnant.
2010 co-edited with C Fife MD the book “Women and Pressure: Diving and Altitude” with a foreword by the Duke of Edinburgh (HRH Prince Philip).
Awards:
2015 The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) Associates award for Excellence in Presentation
2006 the British Sub Aqua Club’s (BSAC) the Duke of Edinburgh’s prize (for the second time) for studies with Women and Diving
2006 the European Underwater and Baromedical Society’s (EUBS) Zetterstrom Award
1999 an inaugural member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame
1994 the British Sub Aqua Club’s (BSAC) Duke of Edinburgh’s Prize for the comparative study on Men and Women in Diving.