What have you learned about yourself or the world while doing this work?
I really enjoy collaborating with people and kicking around ideas. I also like the chance to dream up new ideas that will help us be better stewards of our natural resources.
What was high school like? Were you always interested in the water?
I was always interested in the water, but I actually started school as a Political Science major. I went to high school in the dark ages when girls interested in science took extra home economics classes and shorthand instead of physics and calculus. I am very happy to see that times have changed.
If a teenager wanted be a marine biologist, what would you tell her?
Take more math classes and learn to write well. You will need to go to graduate school in order to be the one who gets to dream up the questions, but there are interesting opportunities at any level.
Also, if you live near an estuary like the Chesapeake Bay, or along the coast, there are many community groups that focus on environmental restoration and conservation. In my area, people of all ages are involved in replanting sea grasses, growing oysters from docks and letting our government officials know how important a healthy Chesapeake Bay is to us. Some environmental organizations offer summer camps for teens. You can also check with local aquariums and zoos to see if there are opportunities to volunteer. And, of course, you can read and learn as much as you can about marine biology on your own.
If you could go back in time, what would you say to your teenage self?
Don't worry about what others will think. Figure out what makes you happy and how to share that joy with others. The rest will follow.
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