To save the oceans, we must first empower women

Singapore (CNN) - When I was 14 years old, I picked up a copy of Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The book follows the all-male crew across the ocean , braving the inhospitable waters on their quest to locate an elusive whale.
What does this have to do with marine conservation, you might ask? Flash forward a few years and I'm preparing for an internship at a coral reef research center in one of the most beautiful marine ecosystems of the world.
When I tell people about my plans, they question whether a young female teenager should be in the open…