2021 NOAA Fisheries Scholars and Interns

NOAA Fisheries hosts scholars and interns in our science centers and regional offices around the country. View other intern cohorts.

Aidan Bodeo-Lomicky

School: Monmouth University

Degree: Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy, Minor in Political Science

Why did you choose this field?
I have been passionate about nature and environmental issues for as long as I can remember. My specific interest in the law and policy side of conservation blossomed during my work advocating for the vaquita porpoise, the most endangered marine mammal on the planet. Seeing this species pushed to the absolute brink of extinction made me feel helpless yet determined to enter a field where I can be the one to make actual decisions that protect species. More recently, my college research projects have led to a strong interest in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), among other environmental laws. I will be attending law school after graduation, and I hope to continue focusing on marine and endangered species law and policy in my education and career.

Internship/Scholarship Program: NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

Position Title: Hollings Intern

NMFS Office and Program: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Office, Protected Resources Division

Describe your internship and associated projects:
My project was to create an updated Marine Mammal Avoidance Procedures document to be used by West Coast fish researchers, due to the high level of pinniped interactions in recent years. A large portion of the internship consisted of video calls with a variety of experts and stakeholders. Sitting in on meetings and conducting interviews with marine mammal experts, fisheries managers, researchers, general counsel, and others was an incredibly exciting and rewarding aspect of this internship. Additionally, the in-depth research on the ESA and MMPA that this project required was a great opportunity to hone my skills in these essential laws. Finally, working with my mentors Shivonne Nesbit and Chiharu Mori has been a wonderful experience. They went above and beyond to give me the most rewarding summer internship possible, even with the limitations of remote work.

Why did you choose this position?
I knew I wanted to be in the policy field for my internship, so that narrowed my focus and led me to some very exciting opportunities, especially in the West Coast Region. After speaking with Shivonne and hearing that I could choose a project that best aligns with my interests (marine mammals, the ESA, and the MMPA), I was dead-set on the Portland office position. A few weeks later, I was thrilled to receive the offer from Shivonne.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
Updating the Marine Mammal Avoidance Procedures was the focus of my internship, and the potential impacts of a more cohesive and thorough document is what brought me to this project in the first place. I am very proud of the final product, and I hope it can make a tangible difference for researchers who are dealing with this very complex situation. This type of work is the most attractive aspect of law and policy, as your product can directly and immediately change the way we interact with nature for the better.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
I went into this project expecting to find some concrete solutions to the problem of marine mammal interactions during fish research. While I am confident that my project will have a positive impact on researchers and others in the region, I was surprised to see just how difficult and complex this problem truly is. Speaking with experts who have been trying to tackle this issue for decades really opened my eyes and gave me a new perspective on wildlife management in general. I will take these lessons with me into the rest of my career.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
The most rewarding part of this internship was building relationships with a wide array of experts. I was taken aback by the amount of support and grace I received from everyone I met during my time at NOAA. I could sense a genuine desire to help me achieve my goals, both with my project and with my career in the long term. I will hold onto the connections I made here for the rest of my time in environmental law and policy.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
My mother instilled within me a deep passion for nature and a desire to protect this remarkable biosphere we live in. I will always be grateful to her. I am also inspired by the rest of my family and their love for animals and the environment, as well as Steve Irwin, Dr. Jane Goodall, and Sir David Attenborough for defining my childhood and showing me how much of this planet is worth fighting for.

Amanda Gillen

School: Oregon State University

Degree: Natural Resources/Sustainable Natural Resources

Why did you choose this field?
To enhance my knowledge of sustainability and natural resources and to build upon my undergrad degree in environmental science with knowledge of environmental policy and management.

Internship/Scholarship Program: The Pathways Program

Position Title: Pathways Intern (Biology)

NMFS Office and Program: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Office, Oregon Washington Coastal Office

Describe your internship and associated projects:
Using PIT tag data, I updated a chart that showed when 13 species of salmon are present in the Lower Columbia River as migrating adults, and as rearing or migrating juveniles, as well as updating information on green sturgeon presence (timing and abundance). I am also working on a report summarizing a review of journal articles on the effects of dredging on benthic organisms and the possible implications for rearing and migrating juvenile salmonids.

Why did you choose this position?
NOAA Fisheries is a worldwide leader in sustainability. I wanted to be part of that. I also wanted to learn more about the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and I have been given that opportunity.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
My favorite project has been the chart I put together using PIT tag data. It shows when fish are present and their seasonal timing in the Lower Columbia River. I learned a ton about ESA salmonid and green sturgeon life history and how to organize and analyze large amounts of data.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
The greatest challenge has been learning that not all salmonids in the Columbia River are listed, only certain population segments or certain salmon with distinct evolutionary traits.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
Working with my mentors, Bonnie and Scott. They are both very knowledgeable and have answered my questions or connected me with someone who can.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
My husband. After having my first baby I stopped working (I was an X-ray/CT Tech at a hospital) to be home with her. I loved being a stay-at-home mom, but I knew someday I would want to work again. I didn't want to work in a hospital, even though it would have been the easier route. He supported me when I started taking classes part time, even though he worked full time in a demanding field. He supported me when I eventually started classes full time and was working in two different research labs to gain experience. He has been my rock and there is no way I could have come this far without him.

If you're a first-generation professional or from a group underrepresented at NOAA, what would you like students from a similar background to know?
I am a first-generation professional/college graduate. I would want others like myself to know that you can afford college. Apply for scholarships, take loans if you need to (just with moderation), and work part time. Be prepared to work hard but remember it's not forever. Gain experience while going to school, it will help you when applying for jobs later. Science is not an easy field to break into. I was told that I would work quite a few temporary/seasonal jobs before landing a full-time job. And that's been true. But in the end, I know I will have a job that is challenging and rewarding.

Sarah Hensley

School: University of Washington

Degree: B.S. Marine Biology

Why did you choose this field?
From a very young age, learning about ecosystems and the delicate balance thereof has always been of interest to me. I wanted to be a part of managing and protecting the various species within these ecosystems. When I began college, I looked for opportunities to study this further. Living in Washington State, my specific interest fell in marine sciences. I enrolled in a marine mammal class studying the local Southern Resident killer whales. I was amazed by the intricacies of issues facing this specific population. I knew I wanted to pursue a career where I could help protect and learn more about the marine realm and the species within it.

Internship/Scholarship Program: Hollings Preparation Program

Position Title: Hollings Prep Program Scholar

NMFS Office and Program: Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Ecosystem Science Program/Marine Mammal Ecology

Describe your internship and associated projects:
In my internship, I worked with both Candice Emmons from NOAA Fisheries and Kiirsten Flynn from Cascadia Research Collective. I looked at strandings of pinnipeds in Washington that are going unreported to NOAA. I used a citizen science website called iNaturalist—a website where citizens can upload pictures attached to small reports of sightings/strandings they come across—to compare strandings of pinnipeds found by citizens to the strandings recorded in NOAA's database. The purpose of this project was to get a better understanding of whether citizen science resources, such as iNaturalist, can be used in the future to help inform us about data that we might otherwise be missing. Throughout my internship, I also attended several coffee hours, webinars, and informational meetings where NOAA employees discussed their path to NOAA and what they do now. These were very informative and served as a great opportunity to ask questions and build connections.

Why did you choose this position?
I have always been interested in learning about the research and data collection that serves to inform policy and management of species and resources. This specific program allowed me the opportunity to learn from mentors who work directly with these issues and to gain experience in dealing with conservation-related topics. Getting to work on a project with a NOAA mentor gave me a better understanding of how data is processed and how the information is used.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
My favorite part about this internship project has been gaining an appreciation for just how intricate data collection and processing can be. I found that there are several more aspects to reading and sifting through data than I previously thought and that there are a wide variety of representations the data can be presented in to help us interpret it in various ways. This has made an impact because it has forced me to look at a collection of data through more lenses than I previously would have thought possible. It has also helped me understand that information can be represented in several different ways and that the message we are trying to share influences which format we use.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
One of the most challenging things that I have learned is how to deal with error in my project. The data I initially pulled from the citizen science website did not always have the species listed or an accurate location of the stranding. This presented an issue when cross-referencing strandings with NOAA's database. Pulling the data from the website took a lot of 'clean up' work in order for the analysis to be done. This has allowed me to gain a better understanding of how error can influence data, and how to go about accounting for that error.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
This internship has given me the opportunity to develop not only research and analytical skills but also networking and communication skills. Reaching out to NOAA employees with questions and partaking in one-on-one conversations has increased my confidence in being a self-advocate. I have learned that great conversations and networking can take place if I am willing to reach out, and this has definitely left a lasting positive impact on me.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
Both my parents and one of my professors, Dr. Deborah Giles, have been the greatest mentors in my life. They have taught me what it means to fail and get back up again. They have always encouraged me to actively pursue my goals. Furthermore, my mentors in this internship, Candice Emmons and Kiirsten Flynn have been amazing people to look up to and help me navigate my first research-based internship. They have provided me with great advice as to how to pursue my goals in the future.

Michaela Melanson

School: Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Degree: M.S. Marine Science

Why did you choose this field?
I have always wanted to work in fisheries science, but have mostly received a hard STEM/Science education thus far. I was extremely interested in this internship as I wanted to gain experience on the policy side of fisheries management. I have also long been interested in what international fisheries management looks like, and this internship provided me the experience to sit in on multiple international and domestic meetings. Lastly, I believe it is possible for us to develop sustainable ways of consuming seafood, and I want to be a part of this new generational transition into more sustainable and ethical fishing, farming, and trading of seafood.

Internship/Scholarship Program: COAST Summer Student Internship Program

Position Title: HMS/COAST Intern

NMFS Office and Program: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Office, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Highly Migratory Species

Describe your internship and associated projects:
My project consisted of synthesizing all of the known biological and managerial information regarding striped marlin within the Eastern Pacific Ocean to give managers a baseline of information regarding the stock and fisheries associated with this species. I crafted a report and presentation that summarized all of this important information. Additionally, I suggested specific management measures that could be taken, if deemed necessary on an international or domestic level, in order to conserve these natural resources and satisfy the many diverse stakeholders within this fishery.

Why did you choose this position?
I could potentially see myself working for the Highly Migratory Species Program in the future. I believe the species involved (e.g., tuna, billfish, sharks, etc.) have large economic impacts both domestically and globally. I love balancing my interest in science with developing policies to conserve these natural resources while finding ways to which fishers can still sustain their livelihoods. I have always wanted to work for NOAA and NMFS in order to see if it was something I could see myself doing in the future for a career. I am happy to say that after this internship, I have enjoyed every part of it and could see myself doing something really similar in the future.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
I really enjoyed crafting my report and becoming sort of an expert in striped marlin. However, one of my favorite experiences was sitting in on the Inter-American-Tropical-Tuna-Commission (IATTC) meetings while they debated international policy recommendations for temperate and tropical tunas. I learned a lot about how different nations manage their respective fisheries, the various points of view, and the stakeholders that can be associated with the variety of topics debated in these meetings. I think the pandemic actually benefited me in this case, as all of the meetings were remote. I was able to participate and learn a lot more than I would have otherwise.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
I was fortunate to learn a lot about the process of implementing and developing policies under NOAA. I knew this would be quite a lengthy and detailed process going into this position. I learned a great deal about all of the U.S. fisheries policies and acts as well as our role in the international arena.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
Crafting a policy report from the ground up and presenting my findings at the end of the internship was definitely the most rewarding part of the experience. I did not have much experience in the policy realm before this internship. Being able to indicate what was important information and what needed to be included in a white paper was not something I had any experience in nor knew how to approach. Communication is one of the most impactful and important parts of science, and I am grateful I received the experience to learn how to do this.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
I have always looked up to Sylvia Earle and Rachel Carlson within this field specifically. Rachel Carlson for paving the way for fisheries science and natural resource conservation for future women like myself. Sylvia Earle for all of the work she does to protect the ocean every single day, her vast and accomplished career with NOAA, and her Mission Blue and Hope Spots conservation program.

If you're a first-generation professional or from a group underrepresented at NOAA, what would you like students from a similar background to know?
My entire cohort of interns this year with COAST were all female. It was very exciting but also a new position for me to be in as science has in the past been composed mostly of males.

Roxanne Mina

School: CSU Maritime Academy

Degree: B.S. Oceanography

Why did you choose this field?
I chose this field because I love science! There is so much that has yet to be discovered, especially when it comes to understanding what goes on in, on, and under the sea.

Internship/Scholarship Program: Hollings Preparation Program

Position Title: Hollings Prep Intern

NMFS Office and Program: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Office, Sustainable Fisheries Division and Protected Resources Division in partnership with the National Weather Service

Describe your internship and associated projects
I have a unique internship experience. Where most interns normally get one or two mentors to work with, I got the opportunity to work with six mentors in different fields of NOAA. My projects included updating taxon-specific literature to the new West Coast Region Climate Toolkit, reviewing how climate change impacts recreational fishing, uploading highly-migratory species stock assessments, designing a website for the Black Abalone Recovery Team, creating a data table for out planted white and red abalone, and finding patterns between ocean-atmospheric feedback mechanisms with temperature and precipitation.

Why did you choose this position?
I applied for the Hollings Preparation Program because oceanography is a new major at CSU Maritime Academy, and I wanted to bring back the tools, resources, and ideas from this internship to my school.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
My favorite internship project was during my time with the National Weather Service where I looked for patterns between ocean-atmospheric feedback mechanisms and the climate. Of the six projects, it was the most difficult, but also the most rewarding. I learned how to use Excel, create graphs, and gained an understanding of Arctic Oscillation, Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and Pacific-North American teleconnection pattern. It was a valuable experience, and I'm really thankful I got to work on that project.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
The most challenging thing I've learned is that it's okay to not know everything. There were several instances where I was confused with a topic or stuck on a project, but my mentors were there to remind me that it's a learning process and that it's okay to ask questions.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
I think most interns would agree that getting to know our NOAA mentors has been a really great experience. I'm grateful for this opportunity, and even more grateful that my mentors reminded me that the door is always open to reach out after the program.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
My mom is truly someone who I look up to. She stopped going to college to support my sisters and me. Now that we're older, she's not only gotten her bachelor’s, but she's also continuing on to get her master’s. She's my inspiration, and she's the reason why I give time, energy, and focus to the things that I do.

Abigail Muscat

School: University of Maine

Degree: B.S. Marine Science

Why did you choose this field?
When I was around the age of 14, my interest in the ocean and birds led me to Explore.org. This website has live cameras so that viewers can see life history events and explore various ecosystems from their homes. At the same age of 14, I was also a passionate volunteer at the New England Aquarium. Over the years, I became more involved by joining the first cohort of teens dedicated to educating the public on issues related to climate change (ClimaTEENs), and by being a paid intern for two years in the “Visitor Experience” department. Additionally, I participated in habitat clean-ups and restoration projects on the Boston Harbor Islands, engaged in public education and outreach related to climate change and other environmental issues, participated in citizen science initiatives to monitor the spread of invasive species, and developed my science communication skills. When it came time to apply for college, I knew I wanted to major in marine science, which led me to the University of Maine. During my time there, my passion for the marine environment, ornithology, and policy has grown and I am excited for what the future holds!

Internship/Scholarship Program: NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

Position Title: Hollings Scholar

NMFS Office and Program: Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Watershed Program

Describe your internship and associated projects:
This summer, I worked with Dr. Correigh Greene to examine the role of growth opportunities in estuaries, using data from otoliths (ear bones) of juvenile Chinook salmon collected in the Skagit, Snohomish, and Nisqually deltas. Specifically, we tested: 1) whether growth in estuaries is greater than in freshwater, 2) whether density-dependent growth is detectable at the local scales related to where fish were collected, and 3) whether estuary restoration efforts improved individual growth.

Why did you choose this position?
I chose this office because I have a passion for the Pacific Northwest ecosystem. In high school, I visited Vancouver Island, British Columbia to see the grey whale migration and it was an amazing experience! As a result, I jumped at the chance to spend more time learning about the complex estuarine ecosystems in Puget Sound.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
The Chinook salmon growth project I have been working on has revealed some immensely interesting results. While we are still analyzing some of the data, I hope to share the results soon with others in the NWFSC Watershed Program who have been working on similar questions. Additionally, I hope this project can help us gain a better understanding of the mechanics of the three areas in question and help monitor Chinook salmon populations in response to restoration efforts and other environmental factors.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
The most unexpected/challenging thing that I’ve learned is how to analyze a large data set in R software. Additionally, it was interesting to see first-hand just how complex some of these questions are and how the results you get might vary substantially from what you previously anticipated.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
The most personally rewarding part of this experience was being able to present my findings to others. Additionally, it was rewarding to know that the work I am doing has real-world connections—it can help answer questions about the role of density and habitat-type on growth and how restoration efforts affect Chinook salmon populations. I am excited to also share the results at the upcoming American Fisheries Society Meeting in November!

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
Dr. Sylvia Earle has been an important hero to me throughout my marine science studies. I am also grateful for the mentors and advisors I have had at the University of Maine thus far and Dr. Correigh Greene for being my mentor this summer. I also want to give a special thank you to my parents for being strong mentors to me.

Teague Tran

School: Bren School for Environmental Science & Management (UCSB)

Degree: B.S. Environmental Science & Management; B.S. Marine Biology

Why did you choose this field?
I initially chose this field because I wanted to learn more about the Earth and explore it. I decided to stay in this field because I developed a sense of duty to equitably protect our natural resources for current and future generations.

Internship/Scholarship Program: The Pathways Program

Position Title: Pathways Intern

NMFS Office and Program: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Office, Oregon Washington Coastal Office, Willamette Branch

Describe your internship and associated projects:
I work as a part of a group that is finding ways to prioritize areas of restoration for spring-run Chinook salmon and winter-run steelhead trout (ESA-listed) in the Willamette Basin. My projects include: visualizing sub-watershed funding information, mapping dam fish counts, and using ESRI Story Maps to highlight restoration projects within the region.

Why did you choose this position?
I wanted to work for NOAA because I eventually want to work for a Federal or State agency. I also have an interest in protecting salmonids and conservation/restoration planning.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
I really liked visualizing/analyzing the Willamette Basin's funding information. I was about to use the R coding and GIS skills that I learned in school on a project that could affect how lands are prioritized. I am not sure what impact my work will have, as I am still working on it, but I know it will be helpful to future prioritization efforts.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
Data limitations are everywhere. Unlike in classes, you get what you get. It's rare to find datasets that perfectly match the analyses that you want to perform. You just have to collaborate with various people and find workarounds to support your work.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
I think meeting all types of inspiring people, and learning from them, was incredibly rewarding. I also loved working on projects that could have a positive impact on the Willamette Basin.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
My family (and dogs), friends, and previous and current professors/supervisors. They inspire me to become a better scientist and person.

If you're a first-generation professional or from a group underrepresented at NOAA, what would you like students from a similar background to know?
Although NOAA might not be the most diverse agency, there is an incredible amount of effort that is being put into diversity, equity, and inclusion. There are seminars, affinity groups, and workshops specifically dedicated to this important topic. The people here are incredibly nice; you will feel welcomed, no matter who you are.

Juliet Vallejo

School: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Degree: M.S. Ocean, Coastal, and Earth Science

Why did you choose this field?
Ever since I was a child, I have always wanted to work with animals. I grew up near the Gulf of Mexico coast and spent most of my time doing outdoor activities. This made me passionate about conserving ocean and coastal ecosystems. Since then, I have witnessed an upfront view of changes caused by urbanization and the importance of adequately managing ecosystems.

Internship/Scholarship Program: NOAA Center for Coastal & Marine Ecosystems (CCME)

Position Title: EPP CSC Student Intern

NMFS Office and Program: NOAA Fisheries West Coast Regional Office, Future Operations & Adaptive Management Branch

Describe your internship and associated projects:
The NOAA Experimental Research and Training Opportunities (NERTO) provides students valuable opportunities to learn a broad range of skills and understand NOAA organizational culture. During this internship, I have been able to review scientific partnerships with the California Central Valley Office and evaluate the effectiveness of these partnerships. I also got to meet with employees from NOAA's different divisions through the webinars and virtual coffee hours. This allowed me to network and learn even more.

Why did you choose this position?
I chose this position because it was similar in scope to my own graduate research. The position also allowed me an opportunity to gain a different perspective as I learned about a different region with different challenges.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
The most impactful thing is being exposed to real-world examples of natural resource management issues and how they are being discussed/resolved through the use of large stakeholder partnerships. Learning about the variety of ways these partnerships are created and managed was also influential.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
My experience with ecosystem management has solely been based in Texas, where there are different laws and agencies involved. Having to learn about the California water rights, the different threatened/endangered salmonid species, and the large variety of stakeholders in the Sacramento River was a bit of a challenge.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
The most rewarding part is getting a chance to work with staff from NOAA and learning something new.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
I have been blessed to have both wonderful parents and mentors throughout my life. It is due to their support and guidance that I am where I am today.

Bethany Wager

School: West Virginia University

Degree: B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, Minors: Statistics and Conservation Ecology

Why did you choose this field?
I chose this field because I have always loved science and the outdoors; this career path gives me the opportunity to combine both of my passions.

Internship/Scholarship Program: NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

Position Title: Hollings Intern

NMFS Office and Program: Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Watershed Program

Describe your internship and associated projects:
This summer I studied the ecological impacts of jellyfish in Puget Sound. I was tasked with researching the Puget Sound ecosystem to better understand what relationships to study within our existing dataset. I then made models in R to describe the relationships between jellyfish biomass and many biotic and abiotic factors of Puget Sound, while taking into account temporal and spatial differences.

Why did you choose this position?
I chose this position because I wanted to learn more about marine environments and there was going to be a lot of fieldwork that involved collecting fish, jellyfish, habitat, and water column data. While I had to conduct the internship virtually, I still learned a lot about the ecosystem and its inhabitants. Also, my mentor is a research fisheries biologist for NOAA which is the career I plan to pursue.

What has been your favorite internship project and how has it made an impact?
I only worked on one project, but my favorite part was looking at the results of my models and better understanding how increases in jellyfish biomass can impact an ecosystem.

What is the most unexpected/challenging thing you have learned?
The most challenging part of my internship was learning to code in R. I was familiar with R going into the summer, but I definitely became better at coding throughout the internship.

What is the most personally rewarding part of this experience?
The most rewarding part was working with a NOAA research fisheries biologist. I enjoyed getting to know them and the different aspects of their job.

Who are important heroes and/or mentors in your life?
All of my current and past research mentors have impacted my life in a positive way. They encourage me to learn new things and push me to become a better scientist.