My name is Amy Wong and I am a senior
at the University of Georgia. Participation in the NSF-REU program at BIOS has
afforded me the opportunity to conduct research in the beautiful islands of
Bermuda.
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| Working on the microscope |
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| Derek, Esra, Ryan, and Amanda on the way to Nonsuch Island |
While I didn’t know what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by all
experiences I’ve had and all the people I’ve met. Upon arrival, the first thing
I did was cool down from the heat with a swim at Concrete Beach. Although it
isn’t as spectacular as I once thought after seeing the real beaches of
Bermuda, I still appreciate it as a great spot in the backyard of BIOS. From
snorkeling at Whalebone Bay to streaking agar plates in the lab, I have been
anything but bored in Bermuda.
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| Kelsey and Clarisse at Cooper's Island |
During my project, I investigated the microbial
communities of the coral Porites astreoides
with culture work and fluorescent in situ hybridization, which gave me
insight into the life of a researcher. I learned about the frustration and
troubleshooting that occur when aspects of experiments do not work, in addition
to the excitement of discovery.
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| Watching the US beat Australia at the World Rugby Classic |
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| Finishing a long day of walking with an amazing view |
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| Jobson's Cove |
Outside
of Naess laboratories, the REUs and myself have been lucky to do a lot of Bermuda
exploration. Some of the highlights were walking from BIOS to Jobson’s Bay,
SCUBA diving at The Cathedral, cliff jumping at Spanish Point, tubing in the Harrington
Sound, attending a lecture at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, and
hiking through Tom Moore’s Jungle.
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