Smithsonian Marine Station | Sept. 2013 - Nov. 2013

Research Assistant

Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, Fl

Mentor - Cora Ann Johnston

Cora Johnston and I puttering along

Collecting and placing mesh crab traps along the Matanzas River to determine where crabs are molting and establishing.

Control tank with pneumatophores, prop roots, and Spartina to assess megalopas habitat preference with real and artificial structures, and with and without a predator present.

NOAA, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries | May 2013 - August 2013

Constituent and Legislative Affairs Intern

NOAA, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Silver Spring, MD

Mentor - Cirse Gonzalez

Assisting in hosting the Leadership Awards Dinner at the Ronald Reagan Building

Met Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, what an honor!

Seacamp | Jan. 2013 - March 2013

Marine Science Instructor

Seacamp Association, Big Pine Key, Fl

My first group of students, traveled all the way from Ohio to the Key's!

Halimeda and Goniolithon Community lab

Helping students identify marine invertebrates and classify by phylum!

Found an octopus in the algae! 

Squid dissection lab

Squid dissection ... revealing the internal beak and pen are my two favorite parts!

Teaching students about the species that inhabit the intertidal zone and its ecosystem services

Spotted Sea Hare

Spotted Sea hare we found while snorkeling, brought him to the surface to show to students before we let it go. They release an ink that appears purple as a defense mechanism.

Manatee 

Manatee in the harbor! Manatees are an endangered species that can often be spotted in harbors in search for fresh water, but unfortunately because they are hard to spot many manatees get injured by boats propellers.

About to go collect some echinoderms and algae on one of the Oceanographic Research Vessels

Sharksicle!!

Bonnethead shark that died and we froze to preserve

Beltsville Agriculture Research Center - Aug. 2012 - Dec. 2012

Research Assistant 

Beltsville Agriculture Research Center, Beltsville, MD

Mentor - Hanna Poffenbarger

Beltsville Agriculture Research Center

Hanna Poffenbarger, BARC

Assissted Hanna Poffenbarger collect soil and plant biomass samples. 

Hanna was working under the guidance of Steve Mersky to optimize cover crop performance to increase organic grain production. 

D.C. National Aquarium - Sept. 2011 to Dec. 2012

Husbandry Assistant and Education Docent

National Aquarium, Washington, D.C.

preparing meals

Center for Marine Resource Studies - Jan. 2011 - May 2011

Student Field Research

Center for Marine Resource Studies
South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands, BWI

Outside the Providence airport about to fly out to study marine ecosystems in South Caicos for five months

Practicing identification skills for our underwater slate test ... talk about a hard test... no asking to return to the previous slide

Yellowtail damselfish, Microspathodon chrysurus

Juvenile Yellowtail damselfish, Microspathodon chrysurus

My Favorite!!! Love these guys, the blue dots are so pretty... its like sparkling stars on a fish

Smooth trunkfish, Lactophrys triqueter 

Nurse Shark 

Nurse Shark

Spotted Eagle Rays, Aetobatus narinari

Spotted Eagle Rays, Aetobatus narinari

Using quadrats while diving isn't always easy 

Night Snorkel! Saw turtles and octopi! 

Group E turn to clean the dishes :)



Taking local students out for their first boat trip and snorkel lesson

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Local homemade ice cream parlor

Island run with the local elementary school kids

Island fishermen 

Conch hanging from a clothing line ... normal 

Center for Marine Resource Studies 

Hall to bedroom... even "inside" we are outside 

Arianna flipping burgers and veggies burgers :)

Camping on the beach :)