We would like to introduce our Fellow ELBOW research members – or FELBOWs – to our blog readers.

In the previous blog posts, we have got to know the researchers in our project: project leader Soile Ylivuori, postdoc researcher Annika Raapke, university researcher Stefan Schröder, and doctoral researcher Edna Huotari. Also, we have learned something new of our project coordinator Lotta Vuorio.

In this final introduction blog post, we are getting to know the last but not least member of our ELBOW team, the research assistant of this project. Who is Raymond Sparks and what is a stingray doing in our team? Continue reading the interview and you will know!

Who are you?

I was given the name Raymond Sparks, and I feel like the name matches my essence very well indeed. I’m a stingray and I’m able to generate and control electrical charges at will – how cool is that! I can produce an electroshock with currents of up to 45 volts, but I have promised not to share any shocks on my fellow ELBOW mates. They wouldn’t know how to handle that much of power.

What is your role in the project?

My number one job is to help our project coordinator Lotta with research communications. Sometimes my fellow ELBOW mates are not that eager to perform in front of the camera, but luckily I absolutely adore all the attention – I’m a true camera ham, I have to say. So, when others don’t feel like posing for the camera, I’ll be there for them. I’m really inspired by Museoduunari who works with the museum experts and makes everything concerning museums and archives oh-so interesting! Otherwise I generally focus on lifting my ELBOW mates’ spirits up (without the electroshocks as I promised).

What is the best part of working with historians?

As far as I’m aware, they are really nice people, and the cooperation between elasmobranchs and human beings has been fluent (I will let you know if there comes up anything to claim the opposite). The historians I’m working with seem always very happy when they see me – either they are happy beings in general or then they become happy because of me. That sparks my heart.

What is the weirdest thing you have come up with in an archive?

I’m still longing for the debut of visiting archives. I really do wish that the ELBOW researchers would take me with them to archives one day. A stingray can hope…

How would you describe ELBOW project in one sentence?

Personally as a stingray, I know a great deal about electricity and now others will know as well – how sparkling is that!