My week in New York was a whirlwind! It was so exciting to be there for the first time, and it was truly special to be there for the 50th anniversary of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society. Highlights from the weekend included the first-ever Alumni Symposium, dinner at the New York Yacht Club, returning scholar and intern presentations, and an awards ceremony.
It was incredible to meet so many OWUSS alumni, and learning what the 2023 cohort accomplished during their scholarships and internships was so inspiring! It was an honor to be announced as the 2024 North American OWUSS Scholar during the awards ceremony. I am so excited to spend my scholarship year growing my skills as a diver, marine conservation biologist, and ocean advocate.
In May 2024, I graduated with my BS in Marine Science from California State University, Monterey Bay. During my time as an undergraduate, I completed the two year diving program at my university from Open Water Diver to AAUS Scientific Diver. I knew I wanted to pursue diving further, and this scholarship will give me an incredible opportunity to do so. I also focused heavily on undergraduate research, and completed an Honors Capstone on assessing the success of bull kelp restoration in Puget Sound, WA. During my scholarship year, my goal is to get more experience in conservation and restoration projects, particularly those that are community-based.
After a weekend of celebrations, I got to stay in New York to participate in the Blue Generation program at the Explorers Club. This program was hosted during World Ocean’s Week, a global celebration in honor of our ocean. It brought together around 30 young people from 10 countries, all eager to make a difference in the marine conservation space. In addition to meeting this incredible cohort, we had an amazing program of panels and activities.
One highlight was getting to do a workshop with Mission Blue, where Her Deepness, Dr. Sylvia Earle facilitated a discussion about solving the most pressing threats facing the marine environment. Not only did we get to have a workshop with this living legend, but got to meet and talk to her afterwards which was so special. The rest of the program included panels and talks on ocean governance, the blue economy, Mission Blue Hope Spots, science communication, and Explorers Club grant writing.
I left this week feeling hopeful and inspired for the future of ocean protection. I learned so much about some amazing initiatives working in policy, investment, and community spaces. It was an incredible way to start my scholarship year! Along with blogs, I will be sharing my journey on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn so feel free to follow along!
Thank you to the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society and our sponsor Rolex for making this scholarship experience possible. I would also like to thank Reef Photo and Video, Nauticam and Light and Motion for my underwater camera setup as well as Aqualung, Fourth Element, Suunto, Halcyon, and DUI for my diving equipment.
