We are very pleased to bring you another Spotlight on Science Occupations! This month’s post is by Anne Smiley, a postdoctoral researcher at the UNC Marine Lab. People often wonder how someone working in marine science found their way to that field. Anne has graciously shared her experience here. She always loved the ocean, but didn’t know her future would focus on it. Read below to learn more about her path that now focuses on coastal ecosystems and human health.
Contributed by Anne Margaret Hachuela Smiley, Postdoctoral Scholar
Origins in the eddies:
As a member of a Navy family, I moved a lot. Amidst all that change, the ocean was the one constant. Everything I did revolved around the saltwater; I learned how to surf, I worked as a lifeguard at the beach, and even caught blue crabs for dinner.
I was especially fascinated by the way the ecosystems would change over the course of a day, a year, and even many years. I remember watching the tides turn clear, emerald bay water brown and murky every afternoon. One summer, my siblings and I would climb on this rock jetty that extended way out into the pass to the Gulf of Mexico; the next summer, the growing sand island seemed swallow it entirely. One year after evacuating for Hurricane Ivan, I remember returning home to a suddenly bright and wide-open neighborhood, the old growth forests had been toppled.
Despite my childhood revolving around the ocean, I didn’t consider pursuing marine science as a career until much later. In fact, when I started college, I declared my major as Chemical Engineering. By my second year, I realized I enjoyed science more than math, so I switched my major to Biochemistry and pursued a pre-med track. I did everything you’re told to do for medical school—joined pre-professional organizations, volunteered at the hospital, and conducted undergraduate research. I realized in my senior year that the research lab setting was something that I really enjoyed—much more than the hospital…
That same year, I joined my university’s SCUBA diving club. I fell in love with it and ended up obtaining certifications beyond Basic Underwater, including Scientific Diving. That’s when it all clicked for me: I could combine my affinity for chemistry, my interest in research, and my passion for coastal environments by pursuing a graduate degree in Marine Science.
Getting my feet wet:
After college, I worked as a research technician in a lab in South Florida. My research was focused on a type of toxic microalgae that grows in tropical marine environments and can make people sick. This stage of my career was critical for me in many ways. First, it was fantastically fun: trips to the Florida Keys, SCUBA diving on coral reefs, sample collection and analysis—exactly what I’d imagined when I obtained my SCUBA certifications.
Second, I began to see clear connections between environmental processes and society. My personal project was focused on understanding environmental conditions that trigger toxin production, which had direct implications for human health. I also had a front row seat to the red tides that plagued Florida’s coasts, harming public health and the tourism-dependent economy. The red tide problem became so severe that water quality became a pillar of both gubernatorial candidates’ campaigns.
I also founded a marine science summer camp for middle schoolers. I designed the curriculum, recruited graduate student instructors, and led each week-long program. Creating and facilitating this camp solidified by passion for K-12 outreach to inform and encourage the next generation of problem-solvers and environmental stewards.
Ripple effects:
Following my experiences in Florida, I knew I wanted to continue doing research on coastal ecosystems, especially on the relationships between human activity and water quality. I also wanted to find a place where I could be involved in community engagement and K-12 outreach. I found a home at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I started my graduate program in 2019, earned my Ph.D. in the Spring of 2024, and am still doing research as a postdoctoral scholar.
Since becoming a Tar Heel, I have worked on many different research projects, yet there’s always been a throughline—each one echoes a past experience. One project explored tidal influence on nutrient pollution, reminiscent of the daily water exchange I’d observe from the lifeguard stand. Another examined coastal land cover change, which takes me back to the disappearing jetty. A third project focused on water quality during hurricanes, reminding me of our family “evacuation vacations”. A final project evaluated water quality policies and violations, calling back to the politically charged red tides.
In many ways, my career has been just as dynamic as the coastal ecosystems I study—but there seems to have always been a steady undercurrent pulling me towards this work.