Portfolio of Experience - Warren Wilson College

10Smithsonian Environmental Research CenterEdgewater, MarylandIntern: Ryan ExlineThe Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is located on the Rhode River estuary of theChesapeake Bay, just south of Annapolis, Maryland. The Center’s mission is to advance the stewardship ofthe biosphere through interdisciplinary research and education.2,800 acres of forest, freshwater wetlands, tidal marshes, and estuary habitats.180 researchers, technicians, and students working for 17 of the world’s seniorscientists in their respective fields. Welcome to the SmithsonianEnvironmental Research Center, where I had the opportunity to intern thissummer. Experience, confidence in my abilities, and new interests in areas ofecology were just a few things I got from this internship.At SERC this summer I worked in the fish and invertebrate ecology lab, leadby crustaceologist and SERC director Dr. Anson Hines. In the last twodecades the spawning population of the blue crab has declined by about 80%.The SERC is studying the feasibility of large scale stock enhancement to aidpopulation recovery for this culturally and economically important species.This summer the lab released approximately 38,000 juvenile crabs in threereleases, one of which was given to me to oversee as my summer project.Organizing the team, counting, tagging, and releasing 16,000 crabs in foursites over two days proved to be the most challenging part of my internship.Yet it was by far the most rewarding. I struggled through, watching researchers and lab technicians bite their tongues as I figured outhow to get 16,000 crabs tagged and in the water alive. It was the greatest feeling of accomplishment to watch them swim away.Tom Yawkey Wildlife CenterSouth Island, South CarolinaIntern: Amy RowlattSouth Island in the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center is home to a significant percentageof sea turtle activity. The Turtle Conservation Program coordinates the effortsof volunteers along four miles and 12 nesting sites along the coast, monitoring theactivities, movement, and strandings of the threatened loggerhead sea turtle, theendangered leatherback sea turtle, and green and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles.When I arrived at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center I felt I was walking into the complete unknown.Some gear, a phone number to call if I needed help, and a positive attitude were all I really needed tosurvive at Yawkey and fulfill my role of sea turtle protector.I began my days at sunrise, putting the truck in four wheel drive as I hauled slowly over the dunesonto the four miles of beach. I located a total of 83 nests during my internship. I checked each nestfor signs of hatchling emergence in the form of small concave marks in the sand or tiny tracks out tosea. Much of my energy was spent hoping for the best, yet preparing for the worst. Some days I discovereddead carcasses, rotten un-hatched eggs, and empty egg shells. Other days I had the pleasureof rescuing stragglers from the nest remains and the deadly ghost crabs as hatchlings emerged, makingme more passionate about my work.It is this passion that has driven me, teaching me perseverance, improvization, and patience. Being in the elements is hard, withscorching heat, sand fleas, and monstrous swarms of bugs. My greatest recommendation: go out with an open mind, expect nothing,and let your love for the natural environment reign supreme.Working and living on South Island gave me a better idea of what it would be like to have a career in conservation biology, workingthe dream job with hands-on experience in a natural setting. I loved it all. I will always remember my summer with the turtles, butlook forward to the prospect of helping other species in their future recovery.