Meet Daphné De Celles, Director of Strategy & Partnerships for our friends the Seabirds Foundation! 

They are a non-profit that leads citizen science expeditions to locations such as Greenland and Arctic Norway, helping to empower students and community scientists to become changemakers.

Read Daphné’s wise words about her career and loving the ocean in our latest interview below. 

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in science, and specifically in your specialty?

I’m from St. Maarten and my family owned and ran a watersports business right on the beach. The ocean was part of everyday life. Some of my favorite memories as a kid were diving for sea urchins, sand dollars, starfish and shells and then showing the tourist kids on the beach. I always kept an extra mask with me and loved teaching my peers how to use it and helped them look for things in the water. Watching their faces light up when they spotted something new for the first time never got old.

That’s what really shaped my path. I didn’t just fall in love with the ocean, I fell in love with sharing it. Marine science became a way to combine curiosity, exploration, and education and makes the ocean feel accessible to normal people. That desire to bring others into the experience is still at the core of everything I do. 

2. Can you share a memorable experience from your research or an expedition that shaped your perspective on ocean conservation?

For a while my relationship with the ocean got complicated. After years working in diving and coral restoration you start to really see what’s happening and it can feel heavy. I never stopped loving the ocean but I definitely felt a little burned out by it. Then I joined an expedition with The Seabirds in Norway and it completely shifted things for me. The Arctic is quiet but it’s full of life and it genuinely changed me. We were lucky enough to get in the water during herring bait balls. Thousands of fish moving together, birds everywhere, whales feeding below us. At one point a humpback came straight up through the bait ball and I just absolutely lost it. Tears, full body chills, all of it. There was so much life and so much abundance. It completely rewired my brain. That experience brought my love for ocean science back in a way that feels lighter and more hopeful.

3. What advice do you have for young girls and women interested in pursuing careers in science, especially those who love the ocean?

You don’t need to fit a single mold to belong in science. You can be creative, emotional, curious, entrepreneurial, or unsure and still be an excellent scientist. Follow what genuinely excites you, even if it doesn’t look like a traditional path. Seek out mentors, say yes to opportunities that feel slightly uncomfortable, and don’t wait until you feel “ready.” Confidence comes from doing, not from permission. The ocean needs diverse voices, perspectives, and approaches now more than ever.

4. What is your vision for the future of marine science, and how can we all contribute to preserving our oceans?

I believe the future of marine science is more open, more collaborative, and more inclusive. It’s scientists working alongside storytellers, new technology, artists, and local communities. Conservation can’t live only in academic journals. It has to live in culture, policy, business, and everyday choices. Everyone can contribute by staying curious, supporting ethical organizations, paying attention to where products come from, and sharing stories that spark care and hope instead of fear. Protecting the ocean isn’t about perfection. It’s about participation.