The College Crowd – Interns Flood the DISL during Summer 2007

Traditionally, summer is the busiest time of the year at the Sea Lab.  Programs for everyone from kindergarteners to educators are offered, and the population of college-age students fills the campus.  This year, 143 college students enrolled for a total of 90 graduate hours and 751 undergraduate hours; 14 of the 21 member schools were represented.  Additionally,

Front row of the boat, L-R: Josh Daskin, Renee Collini, Jennifer Hobbs. Second row,L-R: Roxanne Robertson, Jennifer Himmelstein, Lauren Grove. Third Row: Graduate Student Kelly McKay (REU Coordinator). REUs Shanna Madsen and Kirsten Hartzell not pictured.

the institution hosted a record number of college interns and fellows on campus as well.

The Research Experience for Undergraduates program is in its 10^th year, and the applicant pool has greatly expanded.  The program offers undergraduates the opportunity to carry out an independent research project while working under the direction of a faculty mentor.  While carrying out their research, REU students have the opportunity to gain basic research skills, learn analytical techniques, and develop data interpretation and presentation proficiency. In addition, students are exposed to a diversity of scientists, graduate students and professionals who provide insight into potential careers in marine science.  This year’s fellows included:
 

Renee Collini, University of Texas at Dallas.  Mentor Dr. Monty Graham.  Project: Assessing risk of predation on ichthyoplankton using an adaptive sampling approach.

Joshua Daskin, Brandeis University.  Mentor Dr. Ruth Carmichael.  Project: Oysters as sentinels of wastewater influence in Mobile Bay.

Lauren Grove, North Carolina State University.  Mentor Dr. Ken Heck.  Project: The effects of nutrient enrichment on abundance, growth, fecundity and C:N ratios of consumers in Thalassia testudinum.

Kirstin Hartzell, Baylor University.  Mentor Dr. Hugh MacIntyre. Project: Water quality mapping in Little Lagoon, Alabama.

Jennifer Himmelstein, University of Maryland, College Park.  Mentor Dr. Just Cebrian Project: The influence of the trematode parasite Microphallus turgidus on the predator avoidance, predator choice and digestion of the common grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio.

Jennifer Hobbs, Stony Brook University.  Mentor Dr. Rich Aronson.  Project: The future of Eastern Pacific coral reefs: The interplay between sea level rise and coral reef accretion rates.

Shanna Madsen, Stony Brook University.  Mentor Dr. Sean Powers.  Project: Behaviorally mediated indirect interactions affect predation in a multiple prey assemblage.
 

The ExxonMobil Community Jobs Fellowship offers undergraduates the opportunity to work with professionals during the summer to explore the “real world” career choices that lie ahead of them after graduation.

This year’s recipients included:

Nathan LeMoine (University of Richmond), who worked with Dr. Just Cebrian on benthic macro fauna surveys to determine the impact of Hurricane Ivan on coastal ecosystems.

Amanda MacDonald (University of South Alabama), who worked with Public Relations Director Lisa Young on recording this summer’s activities with photographs, press releases and news stories.

Brooke Rudisill (Spring Hill College), who worked with Estuarium Manager Robert Dixon on compiling a book based on the aquarium’s graphic panels.

The Shell Oil Foundation Minority Teaching Internship allows students the opportunity to learn about marine science education and teaching skills with the Discovery Hall Programs.  This program was established to increase minority representation among the ranks of marine science educators.  This year’s interns were:

Tia Dixon, Tuskegee University

Marcus Shepherd, Jacksonville State University

Sybil Glenos, a senior from Auburn University, initiated our Recreational Activities Internship.  With such a large number of college students on campus, structured recreational programs were needed, and Sybil marshaled the troops and her talents to provide many safe and fun activities for the students, including crawfish boils, movie marathons, softball, volleyball, and trips to Mobile for ballgames and movies. 

Roxanne Robertson was the DISL’s first intern from the Divers Alert Network (DAN), working with Technical Support Supervisor and American Academy of Underwater Sciences Treasurer Mike Dardeau.

There were also a number of labs on campus that hosted individual interns, including:

Kat Anderson, Dr. Rich Aronson

McKenna Frease, Mike Dardeau

Matt Kenworthy, Dr. Sean Powers

Matt Kinkead, Dr. Rich Aronson

Joe Myers, Dr. Ken Heck

Sarah Tappan, Dr. Ken Heck

Marla Valentine, Dr. Sean Powers

Cameron Welch, Dr. Ruth Carmichael and Discovery Hall Program

The Estuarium staff were also grateful for the large number of volunteer aquarists this summer, most of whom have not yet joined the “college crowd,” but are still in high school, including Matthew Davis, Alex Callister, Tessie Darby, Gabriel Denton, Blake Douglas, Andrea Haisten, Emily Parker, Angela Reed, Tori Reed, and Lindsey Herron.