Braelen Devoe Email & Phone Number

Despite growing up in a landlocked state, my childhood dream was always to become a marine biologist. I can’t tell you when my love for the ocean started. What I can tell you is that as I’ve grown up, my love for the ocean has only grown. While I’m not a marine biologist, my current career path is not far off. “Science communicator” and “ocean advocate” are the titles that describe me the best. For my undergraduate degree, I chose to attend Miami University to study biology to build a strong foundation in the field. During my time at Miami, I joined several clubs, volunteered with local nonprofits, and spent over a year and a half working as a laboratory research assistant on campus. In the Global Change Limnology Lab, I was mentored by Dr. Craig Williamson and Erin Overholt. I learned research methods, data collection and analysis, and lab safety, among many other valuable research skills. While working here, I also learned how much I don’t enjoy research! In the semester after my research assistant job concluded, I took a science communication class and fell in love. I loved that I could use my creativity and strong writing skills in a way to advocate for the ocean and the environment. I graduated from Miami University this past spring and around that time, I began an internship with the ocean conservation nonprofit, Oceanic Global, as a member of their marketing team. This internship allowed me to gain real-world experience in communicating ocean science and taught me the ins and outs of nonprofit marketing. While interning with Oceanic Global, I worked closely with their social media manager and created engaging content shared on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. I really enjoy this aspect of science communication and have been learning more about using social media as a communication tool through online certification courses. My eagerness to foster awareness and advocate for the protection of our oceans and begin a career in ocean communications has led me to my current education endeavor. In August, I began the Communications for Conservation graduate certificate program at Colorado State University. This program will provide me with the ideas, skills, and tools used to communicate and engage with a wide range of audiences, including public stakeholders, decision-makers and thought leaders, scientists, and the general public. I am extremely excited to apply what I learn during this program to a career within science communication.