2020 Ocean Academy Intern Interviews Part 4

Welcome back! 

Here are three more of the 2020 Ocean Academy interns in their own words: 

Photo credit: Samia Sarkis.

K’ari Bean, 19, is currently pursuing her associate of science degree at Bermuda College and has aspirations to study marine science in the future. She is a first year Ocean Academy intern working with Samia Sarkis, director of research and development for the Living Reefs Foundation and BIOS adjunct faculty, to assess ideal environmental conditions for coral larvae growth.

What has your BIOS internship been like so far?

It is really hands on! It’s been a good way to see what I would get to experience in this field, as I want to study marine biology. It’s also been an eye-opening experience. I’ve always wanted to be a marine biologist because I like the water, but seeing what marine biologists do on a daily basis has been valuable.

Has anything impressed you while you have been at BIOS?

How quickly science happens. I am doing coral research and seeing the larvae growing into spat happens so quickly. It is interesting, because when you see a fully-grown coral you don’t realize where it started and how rapidly it grew and divided.

If you could sum up your internship in five words, what would they be?

Eye-opening, informative, really interactive. 

When you think about your internship here, what is a memorable experience that comes to mind?

Diving on the coral gardens my supervisor Samia set up at Rosewood Tucker’s Point [the Living Reef Foundation’s tourism partner] and seeing how she has implemented the Coral Garden Initiative there. In lots of other marine science internships, you learn by watching but in this one you are the scientist.

2020 Ocean Academy Intern Interviews Part 3

Welcome back!

Here are three more of the 2020 Ocean Academy interns in their own words.

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

Brianna Simmons, 19, is a rising sophomore in marine biology at Roger Williams University (U.S.). She was a 2019 Bermuda Program intern and is currently working with Yvonne Sawall, a marine benthic ecologist whose research focuses on coral reefs and seagrass meadows, to determine the resilience of mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) and great star coral (Montastrea cavernosa) to different levels of light, oxygen, photosynthesis, and respiration.

 

What has your BIOS internship been like so far?

It’s been good. It has been really helpful to have another intern to work with, and that has made everything much easier. I would like to come back again.

Has anything in particular impressed you while you have been at BIOS?

Using equipment that I'd never used, before such as diving weights [used while diving to counteract the buoyancy of other diving equipment]. It was interesting to have access to this equipment and to see how it worked.

When you think about your internship here, what is a memorable experience that comes to mind?

My project was a long and complicated process, which required me to learn time management. I also had great networking opportunities with other interns and my mentor, which helped provide a stimulating learning environment.

Has your time at BIOS changed your thoughts on what you might want to do in the future?

My first year at BIOS confirmed that I want to do marine biology. This was my second year at BIOS and it has further confirmed that fact.

2020 Ocean Academy Intern Interviews Part 2

Welcome back! 

Here are three more interview with the 2020 Ocean Academy interns. 

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

Zoe Skinner, 18, is a rising second year student in biochemistry at the University of Surrey (England). She was a 2019 Bermuda Program intern and worked with Rachel Parsons, a microbial oceanographer who investigates how microbial communities adapt to changing oxygen levels. This year, she is again working with Parsons on a project examining the microbiome (associated microbial community) of the pelagic (open ocean) macro-algae, Sargassum, focusing specifically on the effects that nutrient concentration has on the associated bacterial lineages.

What has your BIOS internship been like so far? 

It’s been very good. It’s a continuation of what I did last year, so it’s really nice to be able to see how the project has progressed since I was last involved and the direction we are taking moving forward.

Has anything in particular impressed you while you have been at BIOS?

Generally, the facilities are really good, and it's nice to have the confidence to be able to use the equipment with support from my mentor. It's also nice to be able to interact with research scientists and do my own research.

When you think about your internship here, what is a memorable experience that comes to mind?

Going through the freezers to find all of the slide boxes and finding that, since 2019 when I started this project, the slides have more than doubled, meaning the project has grown past me.

Has your time at BIOS changed your thoughts on what you might want to do in the future?

Yes, originally I was going to go into psychology but after doing a work study at BIOS and then additional internships here, I have changed to a biochemistry degree. Now, I'm looking to do something with more research. In high school I was used to following protocols, whereas at BIOS I’m thinking about every step of the science, doing my own project, and taking ownership. This has enabled me to understand the basis of the scientific research I'm doing. 

 

2020 Ocean Academy Intern Interviews Part 1

Welcome back! 

We've already introduced the 2020 Ocean Academy interns in the previous two posts. The following interviews will allow the interns to share a bit more about themselves, their research projects, and experiences at BIOS in their own words. 

We hope you are enjoying the posts this year, which showcase the range of talented Ocean Academy interns who are working at BIOS this summer. 

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

Good afternoon!

I would like to introduce myself as the manager of the BIOS research blog you are reading this summer. 

I’m Lakshmi Magon, 24, and I’m currently working as an Ocean Academy intern at BIOS in two separate departments. In the Development Office, I work with Ali Hochberg, science writer, webmaster, and research technician, contributing to a variety science communication projects, including helping to reinstate this blog! I’m also working in the Microbial Ecology Laboratory with Rachel Parsons, a research specialist, to examine the recurring seasonal patterns of bacterioplankton distribution due to temperature driven stratification in Devil’s Hole (Bermuda). 

I'm a recent graduate of the University of Toronto, where I received a postgraduate certification in global journalism. Prior to this, I received a bachelor of science in biotechnology from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). I have worked as a multimedia reporter, science communicator, and science communication and education researcher in the U.K., Netherlands, and Bermuda. 

I’m excited to work again at BIOS. I had a great internship experience at this organization in 2018 and have always loved their science communication programs and materials. I can’t wait to see what new things I learn this summer. 

Here are my answers to the questions I will be asking those interns in future posts:

What has your BIOS internship been like so far?

Exciting! I have enjoyed working in such a friendly, open atmosphere. I feel free to ask questions and to get hands-on experience. One of my favorite experiences has been assisting with the development of content for research pages on the BIOS website. For this task, I was required to make ongoing research accessible to the public, without simplifying it too much. This was a fun and educational experience for me that I’m sure will be useful in the future. 

Has anything in particular impressed you while you have been at BIOS?

I’m impressed by the hard-working and positive people who work at BIOS. The people that I’ve worked with are incredibly supportive, answering all of my questions and always offering help. This has allowed my creativity to be challenged, and for me to be immersed in many different angles of development and research for a non-profit scientific institution. 

If you could sum up your internship in five words, what would they be?  

Motivating. Challenging. Stimulating. Impactful. Exciting.

When you think about your internship here, what is a memorable experience that comes to mind?

Pressing publish on the first BIOS research blog I helped write. I felt equal parts proud and nervous. It was great to see something I had worked on to showcase the Ocean Academy program be appreciated by the wider public.

Has your time at BIOS changed your thoughts on what you might want to do in the future?

Working as part of a research lab as a Bermuda Program Intern in 2018 was an incredible experience. But I found the collaboration and outreach aspects of it to be more fulfilling than the research work. Until then, I had thought that I would move into a research-based job, so it was surprising to find my passion for science communication at that time. Now, two years later, having furthered my professional and personal interest in science communication, I couldn’t be happier that BIOS helped to show me a more fulfilling career path. 

2020 Ocean Academy Summer Interns Part 2

Internships for college-aged students were among the educational experiences that were hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the BIOS facility was able to safely re-open in accordance with Bermuda government guidelines, the BIOS Education Department made the decision to increase the number of summer internship placements. By combining the popular Bermuda Program and Marine Science Internship, we allowed 21 Ocean Academy interns to participate in lab and field-based experiences at BIOS for 2-8 week placements.

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

Welcome back! In this post we're introducing you to the second half of our 2020 Ocean Academy interns, their mentors, and research projects.

Luke Young

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

19, rising second year undergraduate in oceanography at the University of Southampton (England).

First year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Eric Hochberg, a reef ecologist whose research centers on the interaction between light and the function of tropical and subtropical shallow water ecosystems.

Project: Collecting Sargassum (a marine macro-algae) from offshore sources and using an optical spectrometer to take light readings of mixtures of Sargassum and plastic pollutants to determine the efficacy of spectroscopy at identifying the amounts of microplastics in Sargassum. 

“I feel this internship not only gives me work experience, which puts me ahead of other students, but also first-hand experience of what it will be to work in this field.”

An Mei Daniels

Photo credit: Ali Hochberg.

15, rising senior at Warwick Academy (Bermuda)

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Rachel Parsons, a microbial oceanographer who investigates how microbial communities adapt to changing oxygen levels.

Project: Looking at the effect of microplastics on the microbiome (associated microbial community) of Sargassum species to understand the impacts of ocean pollution.

“I wanted to experience what it’s like working as a researcher in a laboratory and help the researchers with their tasks. I also wanted to explore various aspects of the science world before I go to university to help me narrow down my interests. This is my first foray into microbiology.”

Emma O'Donnell

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett. 

21, rising senior in ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University (U.S.A.)

2015 Marine Science Internship participant, 2017 Bermuda Program Intern, 2018 Princeton-BIOS Intern

Mentor: Tim Noyes, a research specialist focusing on coral reef fisheries and fish populations.

Project: Collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) and using it to derive data on fish biodiversity.

“I will be using the data collected this summer for my senior thesis, which I am doing in partnership with the BIOS Ocean Academy. I’ve had good experiences with BIOS before and was excited to come back.”

Lakshmi Magon

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

24, recent graduate in global journalism post-graduate certification from the University of Toronto (Canada)

2018 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentors: Rachel Parsons, a microbial oceanographer who investigates how microbial communities adapt to changing oxygen levels, and Ali Hochberg, science writer, webmaster, social media manager and research technician.

Project: For the Microbial Ecology Laboratory, examining the recurring seasonal patterns of bacterioplankton distribution due to temperature driven stratification in Devil’s Hole, Bermuda. For the Development Office, reinstating the BIOS research blog, contributing to various science communication projects, and assisting with the development of content for research pages on the BIOS website.

"The opportunity to come back to BIOS, and continue to contribute to research with the Microbial Ecology laboratory whilst also building skills and experience in the science writing, communications, and development environment I hope to make my career in, is invaluable to me. There's no place I'd rather intern!"

Caroline Alexander

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

20, rising third year bachelor's student in geography at the University of Bristol (England). 

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Shane Antonition, a former Bermuda Program intern who completed his master’s dissertation on microplastics and Kaitlin Noyes, director of education and community engagement at BIOS.  Project: Observing the microplastics on Bermuda’s beaches to inform her third year dissertation which she hopes to undertake in Bermuda.

“I’m doing the internship this year as I wanted to gain more experience doing lab and fieldwork. The BIOS internship is a very exciting opportunity for me to do both of these things at once."

KyAsia Scott-Fishenden

Photo credit: Kaitlin Noyes

25, rising third year bachelor's student in environmental geoscience at Cardiff University (U.K.).

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Tarik Smith, a water engineering specialist with Koom Consulting.

Project: Performing a tank sediment study to understand how amounts of tank sediments can affect water harvesting and water catchment systems.

"I am doing this internship because I believe it is an incredible opportunity to make the connection between university and the working world. It will also allow me to develop professionally and increase my knowledge in the field of environmental science. I am excited to have the chance to work alongside such incredible researchers."

Charlotte Peckett

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

17, rising year 13 at Oundle School (England)

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Shane Antonition, a former Bermuda Program intern who completed his master’s dissertation on microplastics and Kaitlin Noyes, director of education and community engagement at BIOS.

Project: Observing the sizes and amounts of microplastics on Bermuda's coastlines to determine the best plan for microplastic reduction.

“I am participating in the this internship because I am considering pursuing biomedical sciences in university. I am also interested in Bermuda’s environment and how plastics affect the island’s ecosystems. I wanted to gain experience by working in the field and labs with professionals and collecting and analyzing data.”

Shannon Mello

Photo credit: Kaitlin Noyes.

16, rising senior at Saltus Grammar School (Bermuda)

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Yvonne Sawall, a marine benthic ecologist whose research focuses on coral reefs and seagrass meadows.

Project: Examining the levels of chlorophyll a [a chemical in the chloroplasts of coral that allows them to absorb and use light], biomass, and levels of zooxanthellae [a symbiotic algae that provide coral with the products of photosynthesis] in mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) and great star coral (Montastrea cavernosa).

"My summer plans fell through [due to the COVID-19 pandemic] and I thought the BIOS internship sounded really interesting. I'm focused on going into a scientific field and, after experiencing the BIOS facilities as part of a school field trip, I wanted to give the internship a try."

Imogen Peckett

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

19, rising first year student in environmental geography at Cardiff University (Wales).

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Tiffany Wardman, media relations and marketing specialist at BIOS and art director at Crown Communications.

Project: Taking photographs of the 2020 Ocean Academy interns for the BIOS research blog, social media, and donor reports.

"I was interested in learning about different projects and visiting interns in the field."

William Welch

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

18, rising first year student in mechanical engineering at the University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)

First year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentors: Shane Antonition, a former Bermuda Program intern who completed his master’s dissertation on microplastics and Kaitlin Noyes, director of education and community engagement at BIOS.

Project: Observing the sizes and amounts of microplastics on Bermuda's coastlines to determine the best plan for microplastic reduction, and supporting BIOS in the beta testing of low-cost microscope photography for the creation of a digital plankton library called Planktos. The Planktos database will house a digital photographic ID library of plankton from Ferry Reach, Bermuda measuring larger than 153 micrometers (0.015cm). This work is supported by NSF Award 2023621.

"Last year I worked with Alex Hunter [former dive safety officer and small boats manager at BIOS] on dive boats. This year I wanted to do something science-based, as I'll be attending university to pursue an engineering degree. I'm enjoying learning about microplastics, phytoplankton, and the ocean, and I'm sure I'll come out with a lot more knowledge and experience in the scientific field."

Alex Quinn-Sirera

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

18, rising first year student in bioveterinary science at the Royal Veterinary College (England)

2019 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentor: Kaitlin Noyes, director of education and community engagement at BIOS.

Project: Observing the microplastics on Bermuda’s beaches to determine ideal measures for reduction. Surveying the seagrass in Richardson's Bay [a cove situated on the east side of Bermuda] and completing a literature review regarding the carbon sequestration [long-term storage of carbon] capacity of red and black mangroves.

"I am doing this internship because I want to gain more lab and report-writing experience to prepare myself for university, as my degree is research-based."

Thank you for reading about our 2020 Ocean Academy interns. We invite you to stay tuned throughout the coming weeks as we present individual interviews with each intern, which will give them the opportunity to share more information about their research projects and experiences at BIOS. 

2020 Ocean Academy Summer Interns Part 1

Internships for college-aged students were among the educational experiences that were hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the BIOS facility was able to safely re-open in accordance with Bermuda government guidelines, the BIOS Education Department made the decision to increase the number of summer internship placements. By combining the popular Bermuda Program and Marine Science Internship, we allowed 21 Ocean Academy interns to participate in lab and field-based experiences at BIOS for 2-8 week placements.

        Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

We would like to use the this blog post to introduce you to the first half of the 2020 BIOS Ocean Academy interns, their mentors, and research projects.

 

Jessica Godfrey

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

20, recent graduate with a bachelor's degree in marine biology from Newcastle University (England)

2018 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentors: Amy Maas, a comparative physiologist and biological oceanographer who focuses on how the environment influences marine invertebrates and Hannah Gossner, a research technician in Maas’ lab who investigates questions relating to zooplankton ecology, physiology, and transcriptonomics.

Project: Processing zooplankton samples from the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) project archives and using the zooSCAN device to acquire information about species composition and size. This will clarify any changes in composition or size with seasonality.  

“I have participated in the Bermuda Program before and have always loved the sense of community at BIOS. The mentors are always so helpful and offer great career advice. I hope to pursue a career in research and this internship is the perfect way for me to learn transferable laboratory skills and gain experience in an area I am passionate about.”

 

Megan Zimmerer

Photo credit: BIOS.

20, master’s student in neuroscience at the University of Manchester (England).

2018 and 2019 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentor: Tim Noyes, a research specialist focusing on coral reef fisheries and fish populations.

Project: Collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) and using it to derive data on fish biodiversity.

“I am eager to get back into the labs and continue to develop my scientific research skills."

 

K'ari Bean

Photo credit: BIOS.

19, current associate of science student at Bermuda College

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Samia Sarkis, director of research and development for the Living Reefs Foundation and a BIOS adjunct faculty member.

Project: Assessing the best environmental conditions for coral larvae to grow.

"I am doing this internship so that I can see what the life of someone in the field of marine biology is like."

Brianna Simmons

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

19, rising sophomore in marine biology at Roger Williams University (U.S.A.)

2019 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentor: Yvonne Sawall, a marine benthic ecologist whose research focuses on coral reefs and seagrass meadows.

Project: Manipulating levels of light, oxygen, photosynthesis, and respiration to determine the resilience of mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) and great star coral (Montastrea cavernosa). This will help determine which coral is more successful at adapting to changing environmental conditions.

“I'm doing the internship to help me develop my skills as a marine biology major in college. I did the internship last year and had an amazing time so I decided to do it again this year.”

Saxon Davis

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

18, recent graduate of Warwick Academy (Bermuda)

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Yvonne Sawall, a marine benthic ecologist whose research focuses on coral reefs and seagrass meadows.

Project: Manipulating levels of light, oxygen, photosynthesis, and respiration to determine the resilience of the mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) and great star coral (Montastrea cavernosa). This will help determine which coral is more successful at adapting to changing environmental conditions.

“I wanted to do this internship because I thought it would be a great way to combine my love for the ocean and biology, while giving me a chance to put the material I learned in biology and chemistry classes to a practical use.”

Nasir Rudolph

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

18, rising freshman in marine science at the University of Miami (U.S.A.) 

First Year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Matt Enright, a research specialist who works with BIOS chemical oceanographer Nicholas Bates on multidisciplinary research investigating various aspects of marine biogeochemistry.

Project: To troubleshoot the automated infared inorganic carbon analyzer (AIRICA) to measure levels of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in seawater samples.

“I am participating in this BIOS internship to gain valuable first-hand experiences, which will give me insight into what field of marine science I want to specialize in after college.”

Treiana Zuill

                                                        Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

17, rising junior in coastal environmental science at Flagler College (U.S.A.)

2019 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentor: Robbie Smith, curator of the Natural History Museum at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo and BIOS adjunct faculty, with research focusing on lionfish and mesophotic reefs.

Project: Conducting surveys to monitor Bermuda’s inshore fish populations along several patch reefs around the island.  These data will then be compared to other studies carried out over the past few years to determine which areas require additional conservation measures.

“I'm participating in the Bermuda Program again this year because I genuinely feel it is an amazing and opportunity to gain field experience in the environmental sciences.”

 

Amber Wolffe

Photo credit: BIOS.

27, rising senior in meteorology and mathematics at Metropolitan State University in Denver (U.S.A.)

2015 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentor: Mark Guishard, director of the Bermuda Weather Service and BIOS adjunct faculty whose research focuses on the variability of Atlantic hurricane risk, Bermuda’s weather and climate, and local disaster risk reduction.

Project: Focusing on the effect of wind shear—changes in wind speed or direction over short distances—on aircraft approach at the L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda.

“I decided to return for another internship because I wanted to improve my research skills. Though I had written many research papers over the last 5 years, I still felt that I was lacking in key aspects such as precision and approach. I wanted to enhance the skills I learned and use them throughout this experience to mold myself while gaining the fundamental skills needed for professional development.”

 

Zoe Skinner

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

18, rising second year student in biochemistry at the University of Surrey (England)

2019 Bermuda Program Intern

Mentor: Rachel Parsons, a microbial oceanographer who investigates how microbial communities adapt to changing oxygen levels.

Project: Examining how surface ocean bacteria respond to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from Sargassum with and without nutrients. 

“Last year, I had my first in-depth introduction to scientific research while at BIOS. It was due to this experience that I began to pursue a science degree in university. This summer I hope to continue to learn about the ocean and begin to better understand its complexities.”

 

Jasper Hunt Thomas

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

17, rising senior at Collegiate School (U.S.A.)

First year Ocean Academy Intern

Mentor: Robbie Smith, curator of the Natural History Museum at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo and BIOS adjunct faculty, with research focusing on lionfish and mesophotic reefs.

Project: Using transects to examine resident fish species on Bermuda’s shores. This will provide knowledge of the number of fish, species, and size of fish at a variety of coastal areas around Bermuda.

“I am doing the Ocean Academy internship to get a feel for marine biology research, and as a way to see if I want to pursue marine fish science as a profession.”

Gloria Simmons

Photo credit: Imogen Peckett.

18, rising third year student at Mount Allison University (Canada)

First Year Ocean Academy Intern via the Chubb Community Service Values Summer Program

Mentors: Amy Maas, a comparative physiologist and biological oceanographer who focuses on how the environment influences marine invertebrates and Hannah Gossner, a research technician in Maas’ lab who investigates questions relating to zooplankton ecology, physiology, and transcriptonomics.

Project: Imaging zooplankton to determine species, size, and quantity of these species.

“I was placed in this internship through the Chubb community service program. I chose to work at BIOS because I am studying science and wanted to work in a science related charity.”

We hope to see you in part two of our blog, which will introduce you to the second half of the 2020 Ocean Academy summer interns.