To echo the words of my mentors in a meeting yesterday, “it’s been 10 weeks already?!” My time at the Oregon Coastal and Ocean Information Network (OCOIN) has absolutely flown by. Beyond a doubt, my personal growth and learning over the course of this Summer is due to the amazing network of people within OCOIN and Sea Grant. I felt supported by my mentors who both helped me become an expert in ESRI software, like survey123, and supported my own curiosity and innovation while working on OCOIN’s tools this summer. I also want to recognize my fellow Oregon Sea Grant Summer Scholar, Joshua, whose collaboration allowed me to be a better team member and always challenged me to learn more skills and organize efficiently. 

This internship confirmed that after I graduate in 2022 I want to continue exploring the ways mapping and spatial data can be used as a research method and a vehicle for science communication. I plan on taking a year to work before pursuing a graduate degree in the geospatial data science realm, and I feel confident the skills I’ve learned at OCOIN will help me with both endeavors. Beyond software, my expanded confidence in troubleshooting and the  design and implementation of user-interface updates I gained while working on OCOIN’s tools will be invaluable while searching for jobs. 

Finally, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the Oregon Sea Grant, my mentors in the CEI program, and the entire team at OCOIN. It was a pleasure to work with everyone and I know we will be in contact in the future!

Reflection:

This summer, as the cliché goes, went by “in the blink of an eye.” I had a lot of fun at the Slough, and being there every other week truly felt like going on vacation. I have had a hectic schedule this summer to say the least, but working once again with the South Slough staff was a pleasure. While last summer’s internship largely prepared me to have success right away for this year’s science camps, I certainly became a more confident educator through my additional exposure to leading camps this summer.

Did this internship affect my future career choices?:

My experience this summer did not affect my career path, but my overall time as an Oregon Sea Grant intern at the South Slough certainly has. I am in the process of applying to Wildlife Ecology PhD programs and hope to pursue a career in academia, research, and wilderness management. My time at SSNERR has also motivated me to pursue educational outreach opportunities in the future, whether that be as a volunteer or through occupational means. I am a passionate student of ecology and animal behavior, which has only been amplified by my past two summers as a Summer Scholar.

Next Steps:

At this time, my next next steps are to complete my undergraduate honor thesis and to obtain funding for graduate school. I have spoken with prospective PhD mentors from various universities this summer and have options that are contingent on either their labs obtaining funding or me obtaining funding. Ideally, if I can win a competitive fellowship award, such as the NSF GRFP, then I will be able to conduct meaningful research under the mentor that I hope to work with. Most of my time is currently occupied with data collection for my thesis (which is a study on how blue fluorescent light affects bee movement and pollination behavior) and polishing my applications for graduate school funding. I am also preparing to take the GRE in September and working in a bird physiology lab, which will hopefully prepare me for some work I hope to do with birds in grad school. I will also be working closely with the South Slough to complete the SWMP water quality exhibit over the course of the next few months.

Thanks!

Thanks again to Oregon Sea Grant and the South Slough for the tremendous opportunities over the past two summers! I will keep in regular contact with members of the South Slough and appreciate all Sea Grant has done in opening new career pathways for me.

This summer I’ve been met with an abundance of new experiences. Before this summer I’d never been on the Oregon coast or seen a tufted puffin. Although I’d been to tidepools before, I’m leaving this internship with a whole new world of knowledge about the species found there as well as the seabirds that live on Haystack Rock.  My internship with Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) allowed me to spend my days thinking about how science communication could be used to increase awareness and action within marine conservation. While a lot of my time was spent reading literature on the topic and conducting research, I also gained so much from just speaking to people on the beach or around Cannon Beach. Before this internship, I didn’t think of myself as someone that could just spark a conversation with a stranger. Through this internship, I have been able to improve my communication skills and have grown considerably in my ability to casually relay scientific information. 

Since I recently graduated from college I am currently looking for jobs and have a few job prospects in environmental consultant firms. I believe that the skills that I have developed during my internship will provide me with a strong foundation for starting my career and will benefit me further down the road when I choose to go to grad school.