My name is Anaïs Remili (She/Her). I am a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University, in Montréal, Québec. I defended my PhD thesis in September 2023. I am passionate about the oceans and our impact on them. I absolutely love whales, and I decided to dedicate my life to their conservation.
My Education
From the French Alps to beautiful British Columbia...
I was born and raised in the French Alps, far from the oceans. My fascination with the marine world started very early, and with the rise of Google, this fascination quickly turned into an obsession. As I studied the careers of great oceanographers, I quickly realized that I would have to leave my home one day, learn English, and get a PhD if I was to have any chance of becoming a great researcher. So I worked hard on my science classes and English. After finishing high school in France, I began a year of exchange in a school in Michigan, USA. My immersed year in America helped me improve my English like nothing I had imagined.
After coming back to France, I did my undergrad at Claude Bernard University in Lyon. The summer after graduating, just before starting my master’s, I did a research internship in Italy to study whales and dolphins. It was my first real research experience. Being at sea with cetaceans only reinforced my desire to become a marine mammalogist. I spent three months navigating on the heavily polluted Mediterranean Sea which made me reflect on plastic and chemical pollution and how it may affect whales and dolphins.
My master’s program (Marine Environment and Resources) supported by the Erasmus+ program by the European Union included three semesters of à la carte courses and a final semester to complete a thesis. I focused my curriculum on marine mammal ecotoxicology: the relationship between the diet and pollution in marine mammals. I got to help one of my professors with dolphin necropsies and saw the direct effect of contaminants on their bodies. It convinced me to focus my research efforts on protecting the ecosystems from chemical pollutants.
I started each semester in a new country (France, Spain, and Belgium). I also did an internship during my two MSc years in the USA, where I grew humpback whale cells from skin biopsies and tested the effect of heavy metals on the cells’ mitosis. In Belgium, my marine mammal professor offered me an opportunity to do my thesis on trophic ecology and industrial pollutant contamination in Antarctic humpback whales: a dream come true!
During my master’s thesis work, I remember analyzing a sample of killer whale blubber in the contaminant lab in Antwerp. It was a sample from a newborn individual who had stranded on the German coast. I ran this sample with my humpback whale extracts. When I measured the killer whale contaminants, they were so concentrated that we had to dilute the extract a million times to measure them accurately. I realized how contaminated killer whales are, compared to other animals. Through their position in the food web, they accumulate large quantities of contaminants like pesticides and flame retardants that affect their reproductive and immune health. It made me want to study killer whales more than anything else.
I met my PhD advisor at the end of my master’s program. She offered me a PhD project on killer whales contaminants and feeding ecology in the North Atlantic Ocean. I immediately said yes, and flew to Quebec to start a new life. After four and a half years of intense work, I defended my PhD in September 2023. After a 9-month mini postdoc at McGIll, I am starting a new position in Vancouver, at Simon Fraser University (July 2024).
Outside of academia and science communication, I love to travel, walk in the forest, do yoga, and cook delicious vegetarian food. I am also a devoted pet parent, and always cuddling with my adorable one-eared cat, Nala.
My professional philosophy
I believe that great science happens when we combine excellence with empathy and inclusivity. While I’m driven to achieve ambitious goals, I have learned that the most meaningful success comes from maintaining integrity and treating others with kindness and genuine respect. Throughout my career, I have seen how bringing together diverse perspectives leads to deeper insights and more innovative solutions, particularly during my PhD where I led an international project uniting 15 researchers across 8 countries.
My teaching experience with over 150 students has taught me that everyone brings unique value to research. As the senior student in my lab, I have found genuine joy in mentoring peers, helping them build confidence and develop their scientific voices. My passion for accessibility in science drives my outreach work. Through Whale Scientists and the “Cetacean Sessions” season I led, I aim to showcase emerging voices in marine research, particularly from underrepresented groups.
I believe building a positive reputation through honest work and kindness creates more opportunities than aggressive competition ever could. By promoting an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and toxic behaviors have no place, we can do better science while supporting each other’s growth. This balanced approach – being ambitious while staying kind – has become central to how I work and lead.