AMSFCC's intern in Sitka

Taylor White was an intern at the Sitka Sound Science Center in Sitka. Learn more about her summer adventures and future plans in the interview below.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in beautiful Sitka, Alaska. I am lucky enough to have grow up in tide pools and salty waves.

What is your educational background?

Hailing from a small island community, I didn’t have many options in accordance to schooling. I attended the local school system, including the public high school Sitka High. I graduated in 2009 and am now working on my undergraduate degree in Biology-Environmental Studies at Whitman College.

What got you interested in the marine sciences/fisheries?

The intertidal biodiversity and beauty here in Sitka is what initially had me interested in marine science. Growing up I wanted to know the names of all the animals and who ate who. Going to the beach never got old for me and my enthusiasm for such simple creatures as a ochre star is what motivated me to research more on the topic.

Interests:

I enjoy adventuring or basically any activity involving the discovery of the outdoors including hiking, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and swimming. I’m particularly interested in marine invertebrates in the Pacific Northwest and like learning more about them via these modes of exploration.

Career Goals:

At the moment I hope to finish my Biology - Environmental Studies undergraduate degree at Whitman College then travel to see the vast shores of other oceans. Eventually I hope to focus on some mode of marine science and go to graduate school and obtain a career in the field of my marine science. I could image myself working on intertidal surveys, but I also might branch out to drug designs based on invertebrate compounds or conservation biology and related research.

What are your primary responsibilities at your internship?

The duties of my internship here involve/ have involved being an instructor at the Sitka Sound Science Center’s Marine Science Summer Camp, basic maintenance of the aquarium, tour giving (which requires some expertise as to what the small tanks and touch tanks contain), collecting for the aquarium (this includes snorkeling and kayaking to collect), helping update the Sitka Sound Science Center’s Facebook page, maintaining an internship blog for Seagrant, helping with a killer whale bone articulation project, and assisting with any other projects the Science Center takes on.

Favorite memory or what you like most about your internship

Snorkeling to collect is both one of my favorite activities as well as the cause for one of my favorite memories here. I was snorkeling a beach on the road system on a dismally rainy day. It was 7 am and I wasn’t sure I wanted to jump into our frigid waters, but as soon as I did the clouds broke and the sun shone through the water revealing all sorts of colorful rockfish nearly blending with the pink coralline encrusted rocks. It was the perfect day for collecting and I didn’t even know it. Moments like these remind me of why I wake up at 6 in the morning and why I love this cold salty coast and all its critters.

How has living on the coast and/or being an Alaska Native influenced your occupational choice?

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve grown up with my head in tide pools and have always found myself interested in all things marine from intertidal critters to SCUBA diving. The particular coast I live on has evolved throughout my life so that I have been able to see, first hand, the human impacts on the intertidal environment. First a dock was put in near my home, then a fueling station, and finally a cruise ship dock. All the while I collected odd ends of trash that clearly floated on many currents only to wash up on my doorstep. The obvious and avoidable destruction of places that were once pristine is another reason I am so driven to know all there is to know about this environment and how to preserve the intertidal ecosystem.

What helped you get to where you are today and/or what roadblocks did you have to over come?

My desire to be involved in the intertidal meant that I signed up for a volunteer position at the local aquarium (the Molly Algren Aquarium which was later absorbed by the SSSC). I volunteered for two years here with other jobs on the side, but then I was able to join the staff as an intern. Now I’m involved in a lot of the research and projects the Sitka Sound Science Center is covering. Going to school, away from an ocean, where many of the students come from large cities and private schools, was difficult at first for me. However, I soon realized that so long as I invest time both in the intertidal (during breaks) and in school (studying basic biology) I still am working toward a career in marine science.

Any advice for young coastal Alaskan's who are interested in the marine sciences and fisheries?

Definitely - You are living in an place that is at the forefront of changes to the environment due to ocean acidification, rising temperatures, overfishing, etc. Therefore you have the first hand knowledge of what needs to be preserved and are lucky enough to be surrounded by marine labs and scientists. Talk to these people. Share your concerns and get involved. If you have a passion for your environment then there’s no stopping you. Who else would know how to better protect it?