OCTOBER 13TH, 2026 – 6.45PM IN PERSON
DR. CHELSEA BENNICE
8 Things I Bet You Didn’t Know About Octopus
1. Octopus is Greek, not Latin.. so the correct plural is Octopodes.
2. Additionally my research can assist underwater photographers “how to find an octopus” and also how to photograph and approach them.
And at least six more things.
Dr. Chelsea Bennice is an accomplished marine biologist and science communicator at Florida Atlantic University’s Marine Science Laboratory, widely recognized for her pioneering research on octopuses. Known as “Octo Girl” by the community for her extensive underwater fieldwork, Dr. Bennice has logged over 1,000 hours of SCUBA-based research and developed innovative tools to study octopus’ behavior, ecology, physiology, and their ecosystem roles.
Her work extends to establishing reliable biomarkers for octopus health standards supported by the prestigious Whitman Center Fellowship at the Marine Biological Laboratory. Dr. Bennice mentors’ high school, undergraduate, and graduate students on octopus research projects and serves as a committee member for FAU’s Diving and Boating Board. Beyond her scientific contributions, Dr. Bennice is an exceptional educator and leads the FAU Marine Lab’s first cross-disciplinary program – Glenn W. and Cornelia T. Bailey Marine SEA Scholars – with the mission to share discoveries with the community to increase conservation awareness and ocean stewardship. The program benefits from graduate and undergraduate students’ diverse backgrounds and talents gained from expertise in Science, Education, and Arts. SEA Scholars serve as educators for the Marine Lab’s Visitors’ gallery, interacting with over 200k visitors per year, and participate in over 40 community outreach events including school visits, science festivals, and STEM camps.
A passionate science communicator, she serves as the scientific advisor for OctoNation®, an octopus education non-profit, and engages the public through documentaries, podcasts, magazines (Kazoo and Scholastic) and books – featured in National Geographic’s Secrets of the Octopus. Dr. Bennice exemplifies excellence in research, education, and leadership, inspiring curiosity and advancing marine science for future generations.