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Continue reading →: November – Manatee Awareness Month
As a Florida resident and biologist, I wanted to contribute awareness to the month of November. In 2005, Florida declared November as Manatee Awareness Month as a time to highlight the conservation needs. Manatees are large marine mammals that take residency in Florida waters where they face anthropogenic threats. Those…
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Continue reading →: A Season of Rediscovery
I have been quiet here for a while, both writing and on social media. Honestly, I have just been uninspired. I created this blog as a way to stay connected to the ocean, to research, and to that part of myself that thrives on curiosity and discovery. For a while…
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Continue reading →: Military Spouse Without Kids vs. With Kids
This isn’t my usual type of post, but since this blog is for moms, I want to share something personal. As my first solo stretch with the twins comes to an end, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect, and honestly, it didn’t go as expected. This season has…
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Continue reading →: Changing Labs in Grad School: What I Learned the Hard Way
Changing labs during graduate school or a Ph.D. program is more common than people think, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless absolutely necessary. When I started grad school, I had one goal: to become a shark biologist. Although this university is at the beach, there were very few marine biologists.…
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Continue reading →: How I Found Time to Go Freediving After Twins
Having twins is incredibly time-consuming, but having preemies was even more demanding. We were both exhausted. For the first three months, all they did was sleep. I was extremely lucky to have my husband home the first five months. If it wasn’t for him putting in most of the effort,…
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Continue reading →: Marine-Themed Children’s Books: Part 1
This is some of the mom-related content, but of course, it is still marine related. One of the joys of motherhood has been sharing my love for the ocean with my twins. As a marine biologist and diver, my passion for marine life runs deep, and I never realized just…
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Continue reading →: The Removal of Ship Speed Limits in the Gulf of Mexico: A Threat to Rice’s Whales
In 2023, the Biden administration collaborated with environmental groups to implement measures aimed at protecting the endangered Rice’s whale species. A key aspect of this agreement included speed restrictions for oil and gas vessels operating in specific areas of the Gulf of Mexico. However, recent developments suggest that these protections…
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Continue reading →: Maternity in Marine Science
This week, Women in Ocean Science sparked an open discussion on Instagram about maternity in marine science. As someone currently navigating this, I found it incredibly relevant. A recent study in the U.S. found that about 43% of mothers left their full-time STEM careers after having children, and 71% of…
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Continue reading →: Microplastics in post-hatchling sea turtles
Sea turtles have been navigating the oceans for 110 million years, but due to the rise of plastic pollution, particularly microplastics, we have now begun to see the effects on sea turtle early development. These tiny plastic fragments, less than 5mm in size, are now being found in post-hatchling sea…
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Continue reading →: What is marine molecular ecology?
How can we understand the hidden connections between marine organisms? Through marine molecular ecology, a field that applies genetic and molecular tools to ecological questions to understand their population structure, evolution, adaptation, and interactions within ecosystems. Breaking Down Marine Molecular Ecology At its core, ecology studies the interaction of species…
Hello,
I’m Katie
Hi, I’m Katie, and I’m glad you’re here. I created this space for moms, like me, who crave friendships and connections beyond the roles of wife and mother. Motherhood is incredible, but we are also adventurers, thinkers, and explorers. If you’re looking for a community that values deep conversations, shared passions, and personal growth, you’re in the right place. And don’t worry, this isn’t just for moms. Anyone who shares our curiosity and love for the ocean, science, and discovery is welcome!
Let’s dive in together—exploring life, the ocean, and everything in between.
Stay connected!
Moms Beneath the Blue 