As a kid Ashley wanted to do three things: be a rockstar, travel the world, and be a scientist. He quickly learned that he was not talented enough to make it in the music industry and so began his journey to fulfill his remaining two dreams. After earning an Honours degree in Microbiology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Ashley worked at the South African Medical Research Council where he served as the research assistant in the HIV Prevention Research Unit. Unaccustomed to life behind a desk, he decided to pursue an MSc degree in microbiology where he investigated thermophilic cellulases for biotech application. This ultimately led to him securing a position as a Global Academic Fellow in Biology at NYU Shanghai (China) in 2013. Ashley now serves as an Instructor of Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) where he teaches Foundations of Science, microbiology, environmental science and scientific writing. In addition to teaching, his interest in research has not waned. Through his collaborative works, Ashley obtained his doctorate through the MPI for Marine Microbiology and the University of Bremen (Germany). His ongoing research focuses on the interactions between bacteria and phytoplankton through the use of bioinformatics and -omics techniques. Level unlocked: “World Travelling Scientist”.