High School Students Participate in GenSea Blue Internships

Thu, 07/06/2023 - 10:18am | By: Ivonne Kawas

To inspire the next generation of leaders in marine and coastal sciences, the GenSea Blue Economy Pathways Internship program at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is offering a cohort of 17 high school students the opportunity to intern at various USM research sites during the summer, with positions ranging from four to eight weeks.

The GenSea Blue Economy Pathways Internship program, facilitated in partnership with the Center for STEM Education and working with the School of Ocean Science and Engineering (SOSE), brings together USM faculty and staff who host students as blue economy mentors. Under their guidance, students are introduced to the world of STEM along Mississippi’s coastline through hands-on training and invaluable experiences in the blue economy.

“Opportunity doesn’t happen by accident. This program affords students transformational lab and field experience while building their professional networks,” said Chelsey Reid, Assistant Program Manager of Outreach of the GenSea program. “By working with high school students, we can meaningfully reach students early enough in their academic career to impact their workforce readiness before graduation. My favorite observed program byproduct can be summed up in one word: hope.”

The mentees for this year’s cohort include experts—in the SOSE, the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC), and the GenSea program communications team—who all bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program. The faculty members from SOSE are Dr. Joe Griffitt, an expert in ecotoxicology; Dr. Michael Andres, specializing in fisheries ecology; Dr. Chelsea Pederson, known for her work in sedimentology; Calvin Martin, a hydrography expert; Dr. Gero Nootz, expert in ocean engineering and technology; Megan Gima, serving as the TCMAC Oyster Hatchery Manager; and Angelos Apeitos, as the TCMAC Hatchery Manager. Completing the team of mentees, the GenSea program communications team includes Tara Skelton, the Program Manager and Chelsey Reid, the Assistant Program Manager of Outreach.

Interns have worked at teaching and research sites, including the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, the Stennis Space Center facility, the Marine Research Center in Gulfport, and the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs. Each location offers a unique learning environment that reflects the richness and diversity of the coastal region.

“Our School is focused on participating in many impactful and strategic initiatives to promote economic, scientific, and technological innovation in Mississippi’s coastal zone,” said Dr. Robert Leaf, Interim Associate Director of the SOSE. “A primary focus of SOSE has been our efforts in oceanography, coastal and marine ecology, aquaculture and fisheries, ocean engineering and technology, and hydrographic science and understanding of how our work in these fields can benefit the citizens of our state.”

The interns are participating in a wide variety of job types to ensure a diverse range of experiences that align with each of their interests and aspirations. From marine biology to coastal engineering, interns will gain practical knowledge and skills that will serve as a solid foundation for their future career pathways.

Dr. Leaf added, “We are particularly excited about our engagement with Mississippi’s students. Our faculty cultivate the interests of Mississippi’s students while fostering a deeper understanding of the marine and coastal ecosystem and opening doors to exciting career paths in the blue economy.”

This year’s interns include:­­

• Vicki Tran from Long Beach High School (Mentor: Megan Gima)
• Pietro Formica from Ocean Springs (Mentor: Megan Gima)
• Connor Van Camp from Ocean Springs High School (Mentor: Megan Gima)
• Henry Wages from Vancleve High School (Mentor: Angelos Apeitos)
• Raylynn Waltman from Ocean Springs High School (Mentor: Angelos Apeitos)
• Emberlynn Drongowski from Willow Christian Academy & HEARTS Co-op (Mentor: Dr. Joe Griffitt)
• Justin Mares from Long Beach High School (Mentor: Dr. Joe Griffitt)
• Ava Morace from Ocean Springs High School (Mentor: Dr. Michael Andres)
• Zachary Evans from Northshore High School (Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Pederson)
• Claire Necaise from Mother of Divine Grace (Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Pederson)
• Raegan Mueller from Gulfport High School (Mentor: Dr. Chelsea Pederson)
• Jose “Tony” Garcia from Long Beach High School (Mentor: Calvin Martin)
• Amy Garrett from Biloxi High School (Mentor: Calvin Martin)
• London Favre from Bay High School (Mentor: Calvin Martin)
• Joseph Bounds from North Forrest High School (Mentor: Dr. Gero Nootz)
• Destiny Fairley from Humphreys County High School (Mentor: Tara Skelton and Chelsey Reid)
• Empruss Ray from Humphreys County High School (Mentor: Tara Skelton and Chelsey Reid)

Here’s what some of interns have to say so far about their internship experience:

“My internship involved learning about hydrography as well as other careers in the blue economy. We got to go out and do a good amount of fieldwork. For example, we did a survey of part of a river. We also spent some time in the lab handling the various equipment needed for hydrography,” said Jose “Tony” Garcia (Long Beach High School)

“I’ve not only learned more about ecotoxicology, but also what steps I need to take to pursue a career in marine science and biology. I’ve also been a part of many experiments since the beginning of the internship, such as exposing Daphnia magna (water fleas) to different amounts of bleach to see how it affects them. I’ve learned how to properly feed and take care of many different aquatic species, such as Cyprinodon variegatus (sheepshead minnow), Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow), Daphnia magna (water flea), and Artemia salina (brine shrimp),” said Emberlynn Drongowski (Willow Christian Academy & HEARTS Co-op)

“The highlight of my internship has been driving the Iver system, as I felt like a kid with a new RC car. My work has entailed modeling a 3D mine and printing, so that we can test the detection system on the Iver to see if it can depict images and depth of words and objects,” said Joseph Bounds (North Forrest High School)

“During my aquaculture internship, I got to work with countless people who all share a strong passion for their work. I also got the chance to assist with the oyster hatchery, where I learned about how much work it takes to take care of oysters from their larval stage to their grown stage. My work included cleaning oyster tanks and systems to clear out any mud to promote faster growth and recording down the water quality every day. I got to go out on the boat at Halstead campus to identify surviving and dead oysters that have been placed in the Gulf. I also learned how to initiate a siphon, calculate the amount of algae for the oysters, and how to count the number of larvae under a microscope,” said Vicki Tran (Long Beach High School)

“During my hydrography internship, I have learned so much from both my mentors and my peers. Through just a few weeks, I learned how crucial hydrography can be to both other marine careers and even to our local and international communities! Throughout my internship, I’ve helped work on the sea boat that is used in surveys on the water and learned how to control the boat. These boats help hydrographers gather the data needed to map out the sea floor. Also, we went to the research lab in Ocean Springs to retrieve a tide gauge so we could clean it up. These tide gauges help us track high and low tide, which is important when deciding when to conduct a survey. One of my favorite parts of my internship so far was traveling to the Stennis Space Center for World Hydrography Day. It was an incredible opportunity and overall great experience. I feel like I have a much better understanding of hydrography and its importance after this visit,” said London Favre (Bay High School)

“During my GenSea internship I gained hands-on experience in conducting field surveys, which deepened my understanding of ecosystem dynamics and conservation strategies. The highlight of my experience has been assisting in tagging gulf sturgeon, an endangered fish species,” said Ava Morace (Ocean Springs High School)

“I've had a lovely time during my GenSea internship. I adored seeing my own sense of creativity flourish while taking in constructive criticism without changing my creative identity. Although Destiny Fairley, a classmate of mine, and I were unable to attend, my mentors at GenSea did their best to make sure we didn't feel left out and always gave us the attention we needed to feel seen, heard, accepted, and loved. I recommend the GenSea internships to any young teen trying to discover who they are because I discovered a part of myself here that I wasn't even aware I was missing,” said Emrpuss Ray (Humphreys High School)

The GenSea program is made possible thanks to the generous support by the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation.