Dernis is a physical oceanographer by training and a certified project manager, being involved since 2013 on marine renewable energy. While finishing her PhD on wave energy, she started working at the Marine Energy Research and Innovation Centre in Chile coordinating of a multi-disciplinary team, aligning public, private and academic stakeholders, both national and international. She joined EMEC in 2021, working in the Business Development team, as Marine Energy Development Manager. Dernis supports developers and clients coming to EMEC for technology demonstration and on off-site support, and coordinates InternationalWaTERS test sites network. She looks for new market and service opportunities, driving proposal applications and engaging with existing and prospective clients, liaising both at UK and international levels.