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BRISTOL, R.I. – As a recent Â鶹ɫÇéƬ graduate and member of the inaugural Blue Fellows Program, I want to take this time to share my experience as the Blue Solutions Institute’s Scientific Communication Fellow.

Originally from Northborough, Mass., I graduated last spring from Â鶹ɫÇéƬ with a double major in Environmental Science and Biology. I spent the summer crafting the message behind Â鶹ɫÇéƬ’s marine initiatives by developing photography, social media, and outreach content for the Blue Fellows Program. You’ll find all the stories I wrote about the learning and work my fellow student colleagues did this summer on the Blue Fellows Stories site.

Although I majored in the natural sciences, I have always had a passion and love for art and design. With a core concentration in Sculpture, this fellowship gave me the chance to merge my design talents with my scientific training for the first time, and it has been incredibly rewarding!

As part of my fellowship, I also served as the Assistant Director of Â鶹ɫÇéƬ’s Marine Biology Camp, gaining experience in informal science education. In that role, I worked with Brian Wysor, the Interim Dean of Â鶹ɫÇéƬ’s School of Social and Natural Sciences, and with the Marine Biology Camp Director, Jonathan Serbst, to teach introductory marine biology and explore Rhode Island’s marine habitats with high school students from around the world. I was excited by the opportunity to teach and work with students, especially in a hands-on capacity because, ultimately, my long-term goal is to become a professor. It’s something that combines research, communication, and teaching. 

In today’s world, being able to effectively communicate research findings to a wide audience is of critical importance, and this fellowship helped me refine those skills in a real-world context.

Now that I’ve graduated, I’m looking ahead to what’s next. I plan to continue pursuing coral conservation research by receiving a Ph.D. and will take this coming year to map out my steps towards a graduate program.

2025 Â鶹ɫÇéƬ Blue Fellows Spotlight Series

The Â鶹ɫÇéƬ Blue Fellows Program, part of the Blue Solutions Institute at Â鶹ɫÇéƬ, offers students immersive, hands-on internships with faculty researchers and industry leaders. The program is supported by a generous gift from Elizabeth Moore, a conservationist and environmental philanthropist and a 2024 Â鶹ɫÇéƬ honorary degree recipient. Read all the stories of our inaugural cohort in our 2025 Â鶹ɫÇéƬ Blue Fellows Spotlight Series.