Marine science doesn’t create impact through research alone. For discoveries to reach the communities that live alongside the ocean, someone has to translate the science, tell the stories behind it, and make complex information accessible and engaging.
In this edition of our interview series, we’re speaking with Jillian Daly, a marine invertebrate naturalist whose career combines environmental education, science communication, and a lifelong curiosity for marine life. For the past three and a half years, she has worked as Communications Specialist for the North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve and is now transitioning into a full-time communications role at NC State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST). Alongside her professional work, she runs @MarineInvertGirl, where she shares educational content about marine invertebrates from North Carolina and her travels.
Meet Jillian Daly
- Current Role: Marine Invertebrate Naturalist & Marine Communication Specialist
- Industry: Marine Science, Science Communication, Environmental Education
- Focus Areas: Marine science communication, environmental education, digital content, estuarine ecosystems, public outreach
- Platforms: North Carolina Coastal Reserve & National Estuarine Research Reserve, NC State University CMAST, @MarineInvertGirl
What inspired you to pursue this path?
Jillian’s connection to marine science began long before she knew it could become a career.
Growing up, she spent time exploring the sandbars, marshes, and floating dock in front of her family’s house at Topsail Beach, North Carolina. She created small bucket “aquariums” to show her neighbours, watched fiddler crabs at low tide, and investigated the marine creatures she discovered around the dock.
One particular childhood conversation helped turn that curiosity into a possible future.
“I remember being about 8 years old on that floating dock with a friend, showing her a handful of sea spiders I’d found, when she told me I should be a marine biologist when I grew up. That was a defining moment for me — I had no idea I could grow up to have a job doing exactly what I was doing as a kid!”
Jillian went on to study Environmental Science with a minor in Marine Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. But the career she eventually found within marine science looked different from the one she had originally imagined.
“Instead of being in a lab writing most days, I found environmental education and science communication, and I get to spend my days doing my favorite things. Life doesn’t look too different than it did when I was 8, and for that I am so grateful.”
Her personal experiences have also shaped the way she approaches life and her career. While studying, Jillian was a caregiver for her mother, who had ALS. The experience reinforced the importance of community, meaningful work, and making the most of how and with whom she spends her time.
That perspective continues to guide her career today: staying open to adventure, embracing uncertainty, and being comfortable only knowing the next step.
A Day in the Life
For Jillian, not having a typical day is one of the best parts of the job.
“I learned quickly that I didn’t enjoy doing the same thing day in and day out.”
Earlier experiences working at an aquarium gave her the opportunity to run summer camps, behind-the-scenes tours, shark feeding tours, and crabbing classes. Today, that same variety continues through her work in marine science communication.
Much of her role involves sharing the research and conservation work happening within her community. Because she works as part of a small team, however, her responsibilities extend beyond traditional communications.
“At my current job, we have a small team, so I also get to help lead field trips, survey animals, and plan events — on top of communicating the importance of our local estuaries and the impact of the reserve sites we protect.”
Her upcoming role at CMAST will similarly allow her to take audiences behind the scenes of marine science — from sharing how veterinarians respond when dozens of cold-stunned sea turtles arrive for rehabilitation to explaining what researchers can learn from a record-breaking blue marlin.
The Exciting and Challenging Aspects of the Job
One of the most rewarding parts of Jillian’s work is helping science reach people outside academic and research environments.
“I feel lucky to have the skillset and opportunity to communicate the science happening in my community to the people who live here. Too often, science stays stuck in the so-called ivory tower.”
For Jillian, science communication is an opportunity to make the work happening inside local laboratories, reserves, and research organisations accessible to the communities surrounding them.
“I want to make it accessible and exciting to the person who drives by the local marine labs every day, wondering what happens inside.”
Her work has also led to some memorable moments in the field. During her first summer working at the Reserve, Jillian was collecting water quality data by boat with a colleague and an intern when they noticed what initially looked like a small pocket of water spinning across the surface.
Moments later, it developed into a full waterspout nearby.
“We dodged a bullet that day!”
Not every part of marine communication is quite as dramatic. One challenge Jillian highlights is how much work can fall on a single communications professional.
“People assume there’s a whole team behind the videos, the posts, the articles, but a lot of the time it’s just me, juggling every part of the process at once.”
Behind the field trips and engaging social media content are often hours spent at a desk, reading dense research and figuring out how to turn it into something an unfamiliar audience will understand and genuinely want to read.
For Jillian, however, that translation process is also part of what makes the work interesting.
Key Skills for Success
Jillian’s career shows how working with marine life can require a much broader skill set than species knowledge alone. Her work combines scientific understanding and practical field experience with curiosity, digital skills, and the ability to communicate what she learns to others.
Technical Skills:
- Understanding of marine science and research
- Video and content editing
- Photography and camera skills
- Digital communication and marketing
- Boat and field skills
Soft Skills:
- Curiosity and willingness to learn
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Confidence approaching researchers and asking questions
- Ability to translate technical information for different audiences
For Jillian, being willing to ask seemingly simple questions is particularly important.
“Don’t be afraid to knock on a scientist’s door and ask what they’re doing, and not be afraid to ask them to explain it like you’re 10.”
Work-Life Balance & Career Satisfaction
Jillian describes herself as somewhat satisfied with her current income. While she considers it decent, she also sees room for improvement.
When it comes to work-life balance, however, she is very satisfied. Having enough time away from work is especially important given her broader outlook on life and her desire to spend time in her community, on the water, and pursuing her own marine science content through @MarineInvertGirl.
Future Outlook: Where is the Industry Heading?
As communication remains an important part of Jillian’s professional career, she expects digital accessibility and digital literacy to become increasingly important within marine science.
At the same time, she hopes organisations will begin recognising the true scope of communications work. Many science communication positions are currently structured as one-person roles, even though the responsibilities can span content production, editing, media relations, websites, press communication, and accessibility.
“A lot of science communication positions are a one-person job, despite the fact that it should be a team effort.”
As digital platforms become increasingly important for connecting marine research and conservation with the wider public, professionals who understand both the science and how to communicate it can play an important role in making knowledge about marine species and ecosystems more accessible.
“I hope more organizations recognize the importance of science communication roles, and start staffing them like the team effort they actually are.”
Career Advice for Aspiring Professionals
If Jillian could give her younger self career advice, she would encourage her to stop waiting for everything to be perfect before putting her work into the world.
“You don’t have to be perfect, and neither does your work. Get out there, get your work out there — that’s the first step.”
For anyone beginning a career in marine communication, she also emphasises that improvement comes through experience.
“You learn as you go, so don’t cringe looking at your old work; look at it and see how much you’ve grown. And always stay curious.”
Her own path is a reminder that a marine science career does not necessarily have to follow the direction you originally imagined. Staying curious and open to different opportunities can lead to a role that combines science with the things you enjoy most.
Follow Jillian’s Work
Follow Jillian and her marine science content on Instagram:
Instagram: @MarineInvertGirl
Stay tuned for more inspiring interviews with professionals shaping the future of the Blue Economy!
📢 Know someone with an exciting career in marine sciences or the Blue Economy? Let us know—we’d love to feature them!