(l to r) Cullen Morris, Laura, and Christopher Matechik

Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, FL offers a wonderful program that gives students the opportunity to volunteer under the supervision of a community sponsor in a career field that interests them.  This past semester, we were fortunate to have Laura, a senior at Lincoln HS, intern with us at the lab. Every Thursday and Friday from September to mid-December, she came down and worked under the supervision of her sponsor, Cullen Morris (FSUCML Marine Technician). 

Laura was an enormous help at the lab, particularly in her work for the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative (ABSI).  She helped construct oyster spat traps, organize and clean oysters, and monitor oyster health, among other tasks. Her passion and excitement to learn, as well as her drive and dedication to hard work made her an invaluable asset to us over the past few months.  

Laura was intrigued to intern at the CML because she enjoys learning about the oceans and the role they play in the world around us. "I have a natural curiosity and want to learn more about what lives within. Learning what my career path calls for will allow me a head start on achieving these goals and developing my own skills as both as a person and a future scientist."

When asked what her favorite part of the internship was, she immediately replied - "The hands-on experience!"  She really enjoyed getting able to try her hand at various tasks and experiments to see if this is, in fact, the career path she would like to pursue.  She also loved being able to work alongside the vast diversity and experience of scientists at the lab.  

After her internship, Laura is determined now more than ever to pursue a career in the marine sciences, and we so look forward to seeing where she goes! Thank you, Laura!