Summer 2012 Interns: Post #3

As the days march on, the 2012 summer interns are becoming more actively engaged in their research projects here at BIOS, having spent the early weeks of their internships "learning the ropes" of their respective labs and sorting out the details of their research plans.  In this post we'd like to introduce you to:

Amanda Chen, 20, is a rising senior at Princeton University in the ecology and evolutionary biology program. Originally from China, she was raised in Georgia (US).  During her time at BIOS she is working with Tim Noyes and Dr. Eric Hochberg in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab studying damselfish sociality and predator avoidance behavior.   Amanda is excited to be a part of the Princeton-BIOS partnership in order to take advantage of the facilities and expertise at BIOS.  In addition to her love of nudibranchs, she also enjoys reading and ballroom dancing.

Amanda Correia, 18, is a rising sophomore studying biology at the University of Tampa.  As a Bermuda native, she is part of the Bermuda Program at BIOS and is working with Dr. Eric Hochberg in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab to investigate algal growth patterns within and outside of damselfish territories.  After a few years working in retail, Amanda realized that her true passion is marine science and eagerly applied for acceptance into the Bermuda Program.  When not exploring tide pools, she likes to swim, play field hockey, and watch movies.

Laura Reid, 21, is a rising senior at Furman College in Greenville, South Carolina where she is studying biology.  She visited BIOS last year for the Coral Reef Ecology course and fell in love with Bermuda, the course instructors, and corals, prompting her to apply for a summer internship working with Dr. Samantha de Putron and BEACON.  Laura enjoys SCUBA diving and a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, and camping.

Angela Tomassini, 21, is a rising senior at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL where she is studying marine science with a concentration in biology and minors in environmental studies and Spanish.  Originally from Michigan, she received the 2012 Eckerd College Galbraith Fellowship, which awards one student each year with the opportunity to conduct a 10-week research internship at BIOS.  Angela is working with Dr. Kristen Buck in the Trace Metal Biogeochemistry Lab researching iron as a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth in the Sargasso Sea.  When not studying, she likes to read, watch tv, and go to the movies.

Kila Pickering, 21, is a rising senior at Princeton University where he is studying ecology and evolutionary biology.  For his senior thesis he was interested in doing research related to water pollution, so he took advantage of the Princeton-BIOS partnership and contacted BIOS scientists Dr. Andrew Peters (Environmental Quality Program) and Dr. Kristen Buck (Trace Metal Biogeochemistry Lab).  This summer he will be working with both researchers investigating the impacts of copper toxicity in marine sediments on phytoplankton growth.  Originally from Honolulu, HI, Kila enjoys anything beach-related: swimming, surfing, volleyball, etc.

More interns are still to come!  Stay tuned for another update about the exciting research being conducted by students from universities throughout the US and Bermuda!

Summer 2012 Interns: Post #2

As the summer marches on, more interns arrive to begin their work and research at BIOS. Continuing on from the first blog post that highlighted a few of these recent arrivals, we’d like to introduce you to another group of BIOS summer interns.  Please help us extend a warm welcome to:

Christie Halliday, 19, is a Bermuda Program intern in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab.  Originally from Devonshire, she will be starting her sophomore year at the University of Plymouth (England) this fall where she is studying environmental science.  She was a Bermuda Program intern at BIOS last summer and liked her experience so much that she returned to work on a research project with Dr. Eric Hochberg using historical satellite imagery to identify changes in Bermuda’s reefs over the past few decades.  In addition to her marine and environment interests, Christie likes running and spending time outdoors.

Chloe Ready, 21, is a recent graduate of Dalhousie University where she received a B.S. in Marine Biology.  Originally from Ottowa, ONT., Canada, she plans to pursue her M.S. in Marine Biology at university in England beginning later this year.  She will be spending the summer working with Dr. Eric Hochberg in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab investigating whether pan fluorometry can detect the impact of stressors on corals.  Chloe chose to do an internship with BIOS because of the CABIOS program, which provides scholarships for Canadian students to visit BIOS, noting that BIOS internship opportunities are well-promoted at Dalhousie.  When not studying, she enjoys SCUBA diving, horseback riding, and reading.

Clare Gallagher, 20, is a rising junior at Princeton where she is studying ecology and evolutionary biology with a minor in environmental studies.  She’s interning with Dr. Samantha De Putron in the Ocean Acidification Lab studying the effects of varying pCO₂ levels on Porites asteroides harvested from nearshore and offshore reef locations.  Clare wanted to intern at BIOS to explore the extremely exciting side of scientific research that takes place below the ocean’s surface.  Originally from Denver, Colorado, her other interests include running cross country and track for Princeton, gardening, and hoola hooping to alternative indie music.

Joshua Bocarsly, 19, is a rising sophomore at Princeton where he is studying Chemistry.  This summer he’s working with Natasha McDonald, Research Specialist with the Bermuda Bio-Optic Program (BBOP), and Dr. Andrew Peters, Associate Research Scientist with the Environmental Quality Program, looking at chromophoric organic matter in the air and water.  Joshua chose to do a summer internship at BIOS because he was attracted to the prospect of doing research internationally and saw this as a great opportunity to explore the field of ocean chemistry.  In addition to his studies, he is a freelance graphic designer, produces electronic music, and plays ultimate Frisbee.

Stay tuned for the next post about BIOS summer interns...coming soon!

Summer 2012 Interns: Post #1

Every summer BIOS opens its door to dozens of interns looking to gain practical experience in the marine sciences.  These interns are undergraduate and graduate students—primarily from the US, UK and Canada—seeking to enhance their classroom learning with hands-on research process skills.  Each intern works closely with a BIOS faculty member on a research project that aligns with their academic interests.  This summer, BIOS welcomes the following interns:

Samantha Hamilton, 24, is a Master’s student in the Marine Affairs Program at Dalhousie University.  She’s doing her summer internship in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab working with Dr. Eric Hochberg on coral bio-optics.  This is actually Samantha’s second time visiting BIOS—she was here in 2008 as a student in the Coral Reef Ecology class and fell in love with both BIOS and Bermuda.  In addition to her studies, she is a SCUBA instructor and enjoys snowboarding in the winter season.

Colita Dunlop, 19, is a 2^nd year student in the Environmental Science program at Bermuda College.  She is a Bermudian and volunteers every week at BIOS in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab.  This summer she’s doing her internship as part of the Bermuda Program with Dr. Samantha de Putron studying coral reproduction and recruitment.  When not in school, Colita enjoys honing her photography skills on the beautiful landscapes of Bermuda.

Celine Collis, 19, is a Bermudian currently attending the University of Toronto.  She is a 1^st year student in pre-law, biodiversity, and ecological science.  She chose to do a Bermuda Program internship at BIOS because, she says, “BIOS has always had a big presence in Bermuda and this seemed like a worthwhile opportunity to learn more about my backyard.”  Celine will be working with Dr. Eric Hochberg in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab on developing a productivity budget for reefs on the Bermuda platform.  In addition to her academic interests, she enjoys SCUBA diving and dancing.

Jorge Sanchez, 21, is an undergraduate student in biology at Dalhousie University.  Born in Ecuador, he moved to Bermuda when he was six months old and has lived here since.  This summer, also as part of the Bermuda Program, he will be working with Tim Noyes in the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab conducting video surveys of Bermuda’s fishes.  In addition to his interest in marine science, Jorge likes to SCUBA dive and play football.

The Bermuda Program is designed to broaden Bermudian students' knowledge of marine and atmospheric sciences and to acquaint participants with the daily operations of a research station.  Successful applicants are placed with a faculty mentor for an 8-week internship that focuses on an area of active research at BIOS.  For more information about the Bermuda Program, including application forms and submission deadlines, please visit http://www.bios.edu/education/ocean_academy/bda_program.html