Nichelle Van Tassel

Nichelle grew up on Florida’s gulf coast where she dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. After she graduated Magna Cum Laude from high school, she moved to the gorgeous Pensacola, Florida, to complete both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Marine Biology at the University of West Florida. Not quite done with academia, she pursued a PhD at Central Michigan University. Throughout her academic career, she dedicated her time to mentoring students through formal teaching, tutoring, and advising individual research projects. 

Nichelle is now a marine scientist at a state agency where she specializes in using genetic tools to study ecology and inform conservation efforts. She has published three peer-reviewed scientific papers and has co-authored several others. She is passionate about sharing science with the world through clear communication, and a core part of her professional ethos is to broaden participation in science. She works hard to make science accessible through concise writing, personalized mentorship, community building, and resource sharing. 

As a mentor, Nichelle aims to provide mentees with guidance and resources to let their individuality, creativity, and critical thinking shine. Her personal philosophy is that there are no answers without questions.

Nichelle is also obsessed with Greek mythology, music, fashion, and pop culture (as a lens to examine societal norms). She’s also a big fan of the Oxford comma.