One of my goals for my scholarship year was to gain more experience in the world of kelp conservation and restoration. I had the incredible opportunity to join Dr. Scott Bennett and his team at the University of Tasmania for their annual marine park monitoring surveys. Dr. Bennett was a part of the team of […]

Aotearoa New Zealand is a biodiversity hotspot, home to over 80,000 species found nowhere else on Earth. The golden kelp forests found in the island’s coastal waters are under threat from an overpopulation of kina (the M?ori word for this native sea urchin, Evechinus chloroticus), which graze on kelp. Overgrazing turns the kelp forest into […]

Almost any diver will tell you that honing in on your buoyancy underwater is a constant learning process. The Avelo System, a new diving system, completely changes how you manage weight and buoyancy underwater. I had the exciting opportunity to try Avelo with Oahu Travel Divers during my visit to Oahu!  The Avelo System eliminates […]

On my way over to Aotearoa New Zealand, I had the opportunity to visit O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, where I connected with OWU alumni and explored the island’s marine conservation initiatives. I started my trip with training on the Avelo, a new scuba system (stay tuned for a blog on that experience!) and got to explore beautiful […]

I had the incredible opportunity to join an expedition to Panamá’s Pearl Islands earlier in my scholarship year. After a long travel day, which took over 24 hours, a plane, ferry, and skiff ride, I arrived on Isla del Rey. The following day, I woke up to an infection on my ankle, which I had […]