We’re excited to introduce our Spring 2019 Marine Conservation Interns. These individuals will support the REEF team in mission-oriented tasks and daily office operations, as well as play an integral role in the many education and outreach programs that take place throughout the spring semester. They will also have opportunities to scuba dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. This semester’s interns bring diverse skills and interests to REEF. They include: 

Madalyn Mussey from Madison, Wisconsin: Madalyn (also known as "Moose") recently graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism and an emphasis in Natural Resource Management. During college, Moose participated in a diving study abroad program in Thailand, and she has experience teaching marine conservation topics to students as an intern at both SeaWorld of Orlando and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. This spring, she is excited to gain more experience with hands-on marine conservation work.

Lara Noren from Minneapolis, Minnesota: Lara has a B.S. in Marine Biology with a concentration in Conservation from University of North Carolina-Wilmington. She realized her passion for marine science while studying coral reef ecology in college. She gained non-profit experience by interning at Bald Head Island Nature Conservancy, and through her work with Plastic Ocean Project, where she conducted plastic marine debris research and outreach programs. She looks forward to diving and working with the public through outreach programs, and is happy to be continuing her involvement in the non-profit industry.

Alyssa Panzer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Alyssa has a B.S. in Environmental Science with a focus in Sustainability from Univeristy of North Carolina-Wilmington (UNCW.) In college, Alyssa studed abroad in Australia, and has also worked on various sustainability initiatives including UNCW Environmental Concerns Organization and The GREEN Program in Hawaii. She enjoys teaching and being outdoors, and has led eco-tours in the barrier islands of North Carolina. Alyssa is excited for all of the learning and diving opportunities Key Largo has to offer.

Evan Wilson from Sarasota, Florida: Evan graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Business Finance. He has worked as a guide for an Alaskan eco-tourism company and interned with Central Caribbean Marine Institute on Little Cayman, where he was involved with coral restoration and invasive lionfish fieldwork, and helped film underwater lessons that were broadcast to Caymanian students. Evan is looking forward to being involved in community outreach and honing his marine science skills while at REEF.

We are also very glad to welcome back our Education Leadership Intern, Sophie Costa. Originally from Austin, Texas, Sophie graduated from Rhodes College with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Since completing her initial internship during the summer of 2018, Sophie has assisted with many various tasks at REEF, including social media, education programs, Lionfish Collection and Handling Workshops, and other various outreach events. This year, Sophie will join our team of researchers in Little Cayman to analyze data for the Grouper Moon Project, and will be helping to coordinate the 2019 Lionfish Derby Series.

We’re thrilled to have Moose, Lara, Alyssa, and Evan join us this spring, and are glad that Sophie will continue to be a part of our team. Our interns are a vital part of REEF and we couldn’t accomplish our mission without them! For more information about the Marine Conservation Internship or to apply for an upcoming semester, visit https://www.REEF.org/REEF-marine-conservation-internship-program.