Anne-Cecile Choutedjem
Anne-Cecile Choutedjem is a rising sophomore at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Anne-Cecile is a Biology major. She is a Meyerhoff scholar and plans to continue in STEM for her education and career. She is being supported by C-Stream. She chose this internship because of the combined focus on biology and technology and hopes to learn as many skills as possible, including data analysis and visualization. She’ll be working on the project “Biodiversity of the un-celebrated: Invertebrates and Protists” this summer.
Mariela Cisco
My name is Mariela Cisco. I am a Biology major and a rising senior at the University of New Mexico. Since high school, I have taken advantage of various available research opportunities, including working in comparative immunology research labs and internships. These experiences encouraged me to further pursue research experiences. This year, I am joining Dr. Ryan McDonald at IMET to study microbial communities, indicating water quality in the Baltimore Harbor. I am excited to practice and incorporate specific bioinformatic research methods. I am thankful to all my mentors and donors at IMET UMCES for this incredible opportunity! Thanks!
Arushi Dalal
Hello! My name is Arushi Dalal. I am a rising senior, Biological Sciences major at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Once I graduate I hope to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and research. During the school year, I conduct animal behavior research to study bird song in the Caribbean. However, this summer, I will characterize bacteria in the Baltimore Harbor using 16S metabarcoding. This project interests me because it is known that microorganisms, like bacteria, have a profound impact on Harbor health.
Jewel Grant
Jewel Grant is an incoming freshman at Loyola University. Jewel is a Biology major. She plans to study marine biology and is thinking about becoming a professor and teaching one day. She was sold on this internship program after talking about biodiversity with Dr. Eric Schott and is excited to be working with him this summer. Her internship is supported by Dr. Schott’s NSF funding. She will be working on the project “The Blue Crab Food Web in an Urban Harbor” this summer.
Faiza Hasan
Hi, my name is Faiza Hasan and I am a rising Junior at Texas A&M University majoring in Environmental Geoscience. My research mentor for the project I am working on this summer is Dr. Tsvetan Bachvaroff. The research looks into the phytoplankton bloom and bust cycle in the Baltimore Harbor. Using environmental data, I was able to graphically depict the trends that occur in the harbor, focusing mostly on anoxic events. I was then able to take this data and connect it to the abundance of species in the Harbor. I’m so happy to be a part of this internship, it is my first research experience and I have been able to learn so much!
Taylor Ibrahim
Taylor Ibrahim is a rising senior at Coppin State University. Taylor is a Biology major. She is interested in gaining more experience with research to help her prepare for graduate school. That will be helpful as she plans to study animal sciences and become a veterinarian. She will be working on the project “Discovery and Ecological Roles of Suspension Feeders and Grazers” this summer.
Adam Lees
Adam Lees is a rising junior at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Adam is a Biology major. He hopes that through this internship, he will learn about many innovative things happening in the marine sciences. While he will not be in the lab, he hopes to gain insight into lab techniques and practices. He decided to apply for this internship after seeing a video of IMET’s Aquaculture Research Center. In the future, he plans to attend graduate school and start a career in marine science. Adam will be working on the project “The Blue Crab Food Web in an Urban Harbor” this summer.
Sindy Mejia
Sindy Mejia is a rising senior at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Sindy is an Environmental Sciences major. She has experience in GIS and is interested in learning some molecular science through this internship and through graduate school. Sindy will be working on the project “Discovery and Ecological Roles of Suspension Feeders and Grazers” this summer.
Sharon Restrepo
Hey there! My name is Sharon Restrepo and I am a Biotechnology major and a rising senior at SUNY Cobleskill. As a first generation college student, I am proud to be able to complete my undergraduate degree at my college. My college has also given me the opportunity to conduct research on the Pseudomonas pathogen in Brook and Brown Trout with Dr. Kate Gillespie. This summer I will be working with Dr. Tsvetan Bachvaroff on visualizing environmental information along with the ups and downs of phytoplankton blooms. I am really excited to get experience in bioinformatics, along with learning how to access different data needed for the research. Along with learning why blooms occur in the Baltimore Harbor, I am learning what nutrients need to limited to help reduce blooms in the harbor. I am really looking forward to all the other great things IMET has to offer.
Sarron Seyoum
Sarron Seyoum is a rising Junior at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Sarron is a Biological Sciences major. She hopes to gain more experience in computing for data analysis through this internship. She first learned about IMET by attending a field trip to the Columbus Center and was very interested in the genetic manipulation of zebrafish for scientific research. She plans to attend medical school, with a focus in cardiology. She’ll be working on the project “Biodiversity of the un-celebrated: Invertebrates and Protists” this summer.