As a Marine Husbandry Aquarist, I assess and maintain the health of reef fish species for sale to aquariums through tank inspections and recognition of sick individuals for treatment. I analyze water quality parameters such as pH, salinity, and copper, including mixing saltwater in-house for fish systems. I distribute 5+ feeds to 200+ marine fish species in the warehouse, and administer copper-based treatments for common aquarium fish ailments.

As a Research Assistant, I assisted faculty members to train undergraduate students with in-field research collection methods, such as roving diver surveys, belt transects, quadrat sampling, and species identification. I spearheaded the research program on invasive lionfish, which included teaching a lecture on invasive species and instructing students and other staff on lionfish dissection protocols. I led a group of undergraduates in directed research on lionfish population dynamics and implemented otolith collection for future dissections. Finally, I analyzed a 15-year dataset on invasive lionfish around South Caicos to present findings on depth and habitat distribution at the 40th Scientific Meeting of the Association of Marine Labs in the Caribbean in May 2022.

As a Waterfront Assistant, my job was to assist faculty and other staff in carrying out day-to-day operations for undergraduates studying abroad in Turks and Caicos for the School for Field Studies. I assisted faculty by leading research snorkels with students and assessing weather conditions to maintain safety. I captained Carolina Skiffs (21-24ft) for recreational and research outings. Various other weekly duties accomplished included maintaining student dive logs, filling scuba tanks, pool maintenance, and prepping and fueling boats. Finally, on top of my other duties, I complied 15-years of data on invasive lionfish that was collected around South Caicos to be properly analyzed.

As a Husbandry Aquarist, I tested and maintained water quality parameters for 100+ tanks holding reef fish species for sale to large aquariums. Such parameters included temperature, salinity, and copper with appropriate dosing to maintain fish health. I upheld a feeding schedule for 200+ tropical reef fish species of several forms of feed, including the live rearing of crustacean larvae for small-mouthed species. Finally, I carried out daily health assessments to identify sick fish for treatment in medicated water.