Reflections

I’ve been learning a lot about myself in this internship. With the pandemic, I had to adapt to the constraints of my current project and how to work remotely. I’m now equipped with the knowledge of what works and what doesn’t while working independently, and while this situation persists, this will definitely help me in future endeavors.

In the latter half of my internship, I’ve been continuously working on each new document quicker than the ones from the beginning. Learning about estuarine and marine issues in English and Spanish has made me a more culturally aware scientist. I believe that this may help me in the future to connect with people and places that couldn’t have been reached otherwise.

Upcoming

I’ve gotten more comfortable with the demands of translation and can now focus on my R training. I’m happy to be meeting with SEACOR team members to work through best practices and understand how they use R as a tool. It’s been great having the time and support to develop important professional skills.

Coming up next on the translation front is a document that is of priority to SEACOR and seems heftier than the previous brochures I’ve had to work on. I’m looking forward to the challenge. Although time seems to be going faster now that I’ve settled into my role, I’ve still got a lot to look forward to in my internship and I’m excited for what’s coming next.

My advice for upcoming Scholars with Sea Grant

Some of my best moments in this experience came from attending lots of webinars. So many people are farther ahead on the scientific track and their insight can prevent you from making the same mistake they did. Also, I happen to think the webinars are very interesting as well!

I’m glad that I was able to set up some meetings with the Scholars and bond even though the pandemic has made this quite difficult. I hope to connect with the people I have met even after I’m finished with this experience.

If I were to start this internship over, I would take more advantage of the resources the Sea Grant provides. Don’t be afraid to ask if you need help. As I am going through grad school applications, I wished I asked for more support for the Sea Grant staff however I’m changing this while I still have time left!

Thanks for reading!