Why I Started Salty Sereia (Because I Was Tired of the STEM BS)

Like you, I was tired of the 9–5 grind, living for weekends, and hoarding vacation days that I couldn’t even take. Mid-career I realized I had choices. I didn’t have to wait until 67 to start living my life. What I needed was time, and time to share what I learned about being a woman in STEM so that others could carve out their own successful path to a marine science career.

When I first seriously became interested in marine science as an actual career, I had zero guidance. Every time I googled “marine science”, I usually came across some cringey blog filled with Jaques Cousteau quotes about the ocean casting its spell. And the other alternative I found were boring government or university websites with some curated bullshit that told me nothing useful. I just wanted real, authentic answers about a marine scientist’s path. As I continued in my career, I did meet people along the way but I could never really get genuine answers out of anyone; whether it was about their struggles, salary, or opportunities. The response was always some blanket line about it being “the best job in the world” and “you just need to volunteer to get your foot in the door.” Cool, who’s going to volunteer to pay my student loans?

I’ve always had a fear of looking stupid (especially as a woman in STEM), but that never stopped me from asking a million questions, because that, my friend, is how you actually learn. And becoming an expert is first knowing which questions to ask, and who to ask them to. As I moved through my own career, I saw the same struggles in early-career scientists. I related to those starting out and wanted to be the person they could trust with their genuine questions and insecurities about the STEM field—the one who tells them to keep going when they’re ready to give up, and shows them how to navigate the bullshit with tips and tricks to actually get ahead. I wanted to share the shit I wish I did earlier in my career; advice that would have saved me money, grief, and time. So here she is. Your Salty Sereia.

Salty Sereia Blog

This blog started as a place where I could free-flow my feelings and experiences as a woman in marine science, and has become a practical guide for those trying to stick it out in STEM. Honestly, this advice stretches well beyond marine science into pretty much any career path. I’ve chosen to stay anonymous because I still work in the field, and in science, who you know matters. I can’t completely incinerate all my bridges with my raw rants. But I always wanted to write without filters—to say what I wanted, swear when I wanted, and not worry about sugarcoating my opinions. At the same time, I still have to keep certain professional relationships intact (for now).

Let’s be real—STEM can be competitive, pretentious, and ridiculously niche. Sometimes I just want to tell people to STFU and remind them that anyone can do science if they work hard enough. It’s not reserved for old white men in lab coats.

Sereia means siren/mermaid in Portuguese, and as a daughter of an immigrant from the Azores, it’s also a nod to my roots. Growing up, the ocean was always part of my story. Now, mid-career, I’ve become a little “salty”— and not just because of all the hours spent in the field. Salty because I’ve seen the politics, the gatekeeping, and the pretentious shit that can come with STEM. That’s where my sass comes in, along with my unapologetic love of swear words.

So when I called this blog Salty Sereia, it’s more than just a name. It’s a reminder of where I come from, the career I’ve fought for, and the salty siren energy I bring to sharing the real side of science. This space is for cutting through the bullshit, owning your voice, and reminding women in STEM that they don’t have to shrink themselves to belong here.

Take agency over your life

I started writing this blog in February of 2025. I had always wanted to write and thought starting with a blog might be the way in, but I never got around to it or took it seriously. It felt like a dream I could never actually accomplish because it was too far-fetched. Still, it sat in the back of my mind until I finally decided to do it. I told myself I was going to start in 2024. I even looked at my sticky note of resolutions every day, and did nothing for the entire year. Then 2025 hit differently. I told myself I was going to start writing, make a website, just try it out. And I did. Slowly, but I did. As I kept going, I gained momentum. Were there weeks I didn’t do shit? Absolutely. But consistency is key. Like any goal, you just keep showing up.

When my birthday rolled around, the voice in my head that had been whispering for years got louder, nagging in a way I couldn’t ignore. I was unhappy, depressed, anxious, and I didn’t even know why. I was tired of living the life I was living. And don’t get me wrong, I have a wonderful, fortunate life compared to many — but I’m not comparing here. All I know is that I felt unhappy, and no amount of reframing was going to change the deep sadness creeping in. I even lost passion for my marine science job. I hated that I had so little vacation time, that I couldn’t take leave in the summer because of field season, and that I was making peanuts despite having two degrees and almost 20 years of experience. I also couldn’t give two shits about my boss’s feedback on some dumbass presentation about aquatic plants. All I kept thinking was: none of this shit matters in the grand scheme of things.

On my death bed, I won’t regret not working more hours, I’ll regret not having more time doing the things I love. People love to say, “No one makes real money doing what they love. That’s not realistic.” Yeah? Well neither is spending 40 years hating Mondays just to end up with a $50 Costco retirement party. And after 100 years, your family photos will probably end up in some vintage shop selling for a dollar as someone’s ironic decor. Cynical? Maybe. True? Definitely. That’s why I’m a Salty Sereia.

And me saying this isn’t to make you feel like shit; it’s to light a fire under your ass. To push you to make moves on your dreams. To live the life you want and deserve. Because the only people who matter are the ones that are going to be holding your hand on your death bed. So fuck your bosses and shitty-ass friends.

For a long time, I felt stuck. Like I had no choice. Like I was just doing my best with the options I had. And sure, we all have to work to live (unless you’re independently wealthy or hit the lottery). I needed money to support my family and pay bills. But then I listened to a meditation on Insight Timer about choices, and something clicked. We are not stuck. We can change. And suddenly, I believed it. You are 100% responsible for your life. The only thing you can control is you.

I realized I didn’t have to live for weekends or grind side hustles just to afford extras. What I really wanted was time and freedom. And for me, time IS freedom. I was giving all my power away — to my job, my phone, even my family and friends. It was time to take it back. To prioritize what I wanted in life while still handling responsibilities.

I wanted to eat lunch with my child instead of watching them eat through an app. So I made the decision to move toward that life. I started writing—at night, on my lunch breaks, during nap times.

And in the words of Anne Roe: “Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.” So here is my version of communicating science. A raw unfiltered space to tell the truth about what it’s like to work in the STEM field.

I’ve always been a deep thinker. I love connecting with people beyond surface-level chit chat. For some reason, strangers have always opened up to me, maybe because I’m a weirdo myself, but over the years I realized it’s a strength. People feel comfortable telling me their stories, their fears, their vulnerable truths. That’s carried into my career too.

Now I’m finally dropping all the Shit I Wish I Did from nearly two decades in the game…so pull up to the lab bench. No gatekeeping.

Love,

Salty Sereia