We are excited to welcome our Fall 2023 Marine Conservation Interns to REEF! They will assist with education, outreach, events, and daily operations around the REEF Campus in Key Largo, Florida. Pictured from left to right are Noah Herren, Asavari Shanker, Noa Parks, and Lily Fife Schaeufele. Here's a bit more about them:

Noah Herren is a rising junior at Northeastern University, where he is pursuing a B.S. in marine biology. He discovered his interest in marine conservation through oyster replenishing efforts in the Chesapeake Bay. Since then he has worked on a number of projects including analyzing fish genomes to pinpoint the sources of fish fraud and calculating trends in algae on sea turtle shells. He is excited to gain experience at REEF before returning for his junior year at Northeastern University.

Asavari Shanker is a summer 2023 graduate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), with a degree in marine biology. During college, she was part of an undergraduate research lab, where she studied the biology and conservation of Kemps-Ridley sea turtles. She is excited to be at REEF and hopes to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the field of marine biology. In the future she plans to go to law school to work towards protecting the ocean through environmental and marine policy.

Noa Parks graduated from Mississippi College in May 2023 with a B.S. in biology. She has been a member of the Memphis Archaeological Geological Society since she was a little girl, which has given her numerous opportunities to participate in geological field trips, furthering her love of the outdoors and science. Noa played collegiate volleyball and ran her first marathon this year. She recently added SCUBA diving to her list of hobbies, and is excited to gain more diving exprerience in Key Largo.

Lily Fife Schaeufele graduated from Smith College in January 2023 with a B.A. in world literature and a minor in marine science. Her love of the ocean came from exploring the National and Historic Parks during trips to Colorado, where she first saw evidence of ancient marine life. She is interested in the intersection of science and art, and while studying abroad in Iceland she created an interactive exhibit as a culmination of her semester study on climate narratives.

For more information about the Marine Conservation Internship or to apply for an upcoming semester, visit www.REEF.org/internship.