The origin story…

A lot of times I get asked how I got into marine science, and to be honest there never was one defining moment, it was more of a culmination of things throughout my childhood and young adult years. 

Let me paint you a picture. Imagine a little girl maybe five or six, long brown hair. It's summer time, and despite the heat and humidity she is running down to this creek-bed that’s dry from the lack of rain. She stops for a moment at the edge to locate a rock and then hops in and cautiously goes over to the rock lifting it slowly. Sure enough there is a crawdad hiding underneath it. With a panic she takes off running back up the hill to the house to grab the garden hose and drags it as close to the creek as it will reach. She will not let these poor crayfish die even if, it means taking bucket at a time of water down to the creek.  

Yup that little girl was me. The same girl who would go to the edge of the pond and feed the fish...by hand. 

And thankfully over time, I never lost that raw passion, the desire to learn more, and explore the world around me. Those traits were simply amplified as I began to pursue my degree. Stomping through the mud so thick it could swallow you whole? Sign me up! Helping to tag sharks in questionable seas? Check. Camping out alone on the beach at night to help protect sea turtle hatchlings? That was me.   

I’ve had so many amazing experiences in my life, and its only just beginning. I want to encourage you to join me as a continue to explore the aquatic realms.