Here is a picture of me while scuba diving during my Bonaire trip in spring 2023. This was an amazing experience for me because I learned new skills, specifically scuba diving, which was essential during this trip. During this trip I received my certification to renew coral reefs as a volunteer. I have always been fascinated with marine life and reef ecosystems, so being able to see them up close and help restore the reef was a very rewarding experience. Not many people get to see a coral reef up close; this was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. During my dives, however, there was a lot of evidence where parts of the reef had significant damage, which was where we focused on our reef restoration projects. The events of this trip inspired me to pursue a degree in conservation biology, so that I can continue to help protect and restore coral reefs. Additionally, scuba diving is a skill that may be very relevant to my career in the future. When I graduate from the University of Mary Washington, I plan to apply for marine biology graduate programs; being a certified diver can help me when applying.
Spring Break 2024
During spring break 2024, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. This trip was one of my favorite study abroad opportunities. The picture above is the caldera of the Sierra Negra Volcano, one of the many active volcanoes on Isabela Island. I had never been to a caldera, so when we reached the top of Sierra Negra, I was excited because I had just learned about the different types of volcanoes and lava flows. To be able to see a caldera in person was beyond my expectations. Although our tour guides were well-versed in the biology, they were not as well-versed in the geology of the volcanos. Since I was one of two geology majors on the trip our tour guides asked me to talk to the group about the different lava flows and geologic features we saw. The tour guides were really impressed with my knowledge on volcanoes and geology; they said that they learned things that they can pass on to other tour groups to enhance other visitors’ experience.
