Featured Woman in STEM: Juliette Lee
In this article, follow along as Juliette Lee, a marine science instructor at Catalina Island Marine Institute, shares her interests, professional journey, and insights on the relationship between environmental conservation and public policy.
I am a young professional pursuing a career in the field of marine conservation, applied science, and experiential education. I hope to contribute meaningfully to our understanding of marine conservation and species protection. I am particularly interested in shark and marine mammal conservation and am passionate about marine protected areas, coastal and pelagic ecosystem-based conservation, and the intersection of science and policy.
My passion for the ocean was sparked at the age of 11. I attended the Dolphin Research Center's (DRC) DolphinLab in Grassy Key, FL where I learned about the diverse and seemingly infinite marine organisms lacking sufficient environmental protections. Through the educational seminars and hands-on encounters with Bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions, my appreciation for these species and their habitats grew into a passion to pursue a career in marine science. At Connecticut College, I pursued a Bachelor in Environmental Studies and gained a holistic background with minors in Anthropology and Government. As a Certificate Scholar at the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment (GNCE), I researched the introduction of invasive Red Lionfish into Caribbean food systems, gaining a Certificate in Conservation Biology. Since my time at DRC, I always thought saving wildlife was just about the wildlife. My research with GNCE ruptured this perspective entirely, and I quickly realized that positive impact is much more than focus on subject species, and requires improvement among societal and cultural factors to create long-term, successful conservation.
My positions in tropical marine biology research, public policy, and experiential education have given me a diverse skill set to help tackle these complex scientific problems. As a Tropical Marine Biology Intern at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, I learned to troubleshoot situations abroad and be multiculturally aware when informing the conservation of fisheries in the Bahamas. As a Policy and Conservation Intern at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, I supported communities interested in nominating and designating new sanctuaries by connecting sanctuary constituents and community leaders with their federal elected officials. Now in my current position as a Marine Science Instructor at the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI), I have learned to translate complex scientific ideas into approachable concepts for all to understand.
While my efforts during Capitol Hill Ocean Week, the premier Ocean Policy Conference held annually in Washington DC, in May 2017 sparked my interest in the intersection of marine policy and conservation science, my passion for impact-based work is reinvigorated every day on Catalina Island. I discovered that facilitating students to make connections between the organisms they interact with during hands-on labs and the organisms they see on their snorkels of rocky reef and sandy bottom ecosystems is not only rewarding, but can be the cornerstone for changing their perspective of the outside world.
My typical day at Catalina Island Marine Institute is anything but typical. There are some days where I am a laboratory and research technician, running behind the scenes, conducting plankton-tows to understand the population abundance of different types of plankton in the San Pedro Channel, maintaining our dive equipment so our staff and students can safely experience the ‘silent world’ under the waves, and ensuring that all of our aquarium exhibits are functioning well. As Program Coordinator, I manage a team of colleagues in scheduling, conflict resolution, and safe and engaging programming to provide the best experience for visiting groups. Yet, my most influential days are the ones where I can focus on just being a marine science instructor. On these days, I am on the front lines teaching school children ages 10 to 18 about marine organisms and island ecology through a series of hands-on labs, snorkels, and hikes. Encouraging students out of their comfort zone on an expedition, whether on a long and hot hike up a steep ridgeline or on an all-day open-ocean kayak in high winds, I am constantly inspired by the growth and community developed in and amongst the students from the beginning to the end of their trips.
This August, I will begin my pursuit of a Master in Coastal Environmental Management from Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment. I hope to develop powerful tools to tackle issues facing our marine resources through immersive field experiences at the Duke Marine Lab and to elevate my educational and experiential foundation with a Master’s Project and professional internship to tackle the real-world environmental challenges as they come to the global stage.
