Couples and colleagues: how scientist duos marry work and home life

Abstract

teve and Deonie 'Dee' Allen's fates were sealed when their respective dogs, two kelpies, spotted each other from across a marina in Brisbane, Australia and became friends. The pair were living on boats three berths down from one another -and the rest, as they say, is history.Twenty-two years later they are happily married, with one boat, two PhDs and parallel careers as microplastic-pollution researchers at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, and the University of Birmingham, UK, respectively. The Allens, as many in the field will attest, are an infamous double-act, sharing work and hobbies, and travelling the world together for their sailing hobby and for research. They literally finish each other's sentences -and e-mails -and they are indubitable proof that yes, it really is possible to work with a romantic partner without growing to despise them.In the Allens' case, Steve says, "It means we are a complete mobile research unit.