Meet AJ

I am a recent graduate from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Oceanography and experience with oceanographic and conservation genetics research. I am excited to be the new Marine Lab & Coastal Watch intern at Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). This internship will be a great opportunity for me to gain new skills and support the research being done in the marine lab. 

During my undergraduate degree, I worked in multiple biological oceanography labs helping with research on topics including zooplankton ecology. I also completed an internship in the Philippines where I investigated the presence of a cryptic species of blue swimming crab using mitochondrial DNA markers. Additionally, I completed my senior thesis on the temporal and spatial variations in nutrients and pCO₂in the equatorial Pacific, which gave me experience collecting and analyzing chemical oceanographic data. 

As a Marine Lab & Coastal Watch intern, I will be assisting with various projects at the Marine Lab including ongoing macroalgae research. I will be helping prepare collected algae samples for stable isotope analysis, which will help us understand potential sources of nitrogen used by the algae. The data from this project, along with the other projects going on at the lab, will help us better understand coastal ecosystem health and the potential effects of disturbances on these ecosystems. This information can then be used to support coastal management and conservation efforts, which will be beneficial for local fish populations and habitats. 

Thanks to your generous donations in support of this internship, I will be able to grow as a scientist, gain skills that I will be able to use in future coastal science and conservation positions and support the important research going on at SCCF. I am extremely grateful to the Sanibel FlyFishers for helping fund this opportunity and supporting SCCFs conservation and restoration work.

Where are you from?

Dallas, TX

What do you look forward to while interning for SCCF?

I am looking forward to taking part in the research and coastal restoration initiatives going on at SCCF, meeting new people, and learning more about Sanibel Island and the coastal environments of South Florida!

What do you like to do in your time off?  

I love to explore new places, hike, read, and play D&D and video games in my free time.

What is your favorite sea creature?

Sawfish.

What’s the best music for a weekend at the beach?    

I like listening to a lot of different genres but if I had to choose maybe alt-rock.

If you could visit any marine ecosystem on the planet, where would you go?

I would love to visit a hydrothermal vent system.