Maria Goerges Email & Phone Number

Gainesville, Florida, United States

At the USGS, I have spent most of my time sieving through sediment collected from the Gulf of Mexico and identifying the present invertebrates, often by class. I also curated a collection of my own photos of the invertebrates to act as a guide for new employees. I have spent a lot of time preparing formalin and ethanol for our samples, as well as packing and cleaning for our at sea research expeditions.At sea, I have collected several different types of samples from push-cores, including macrofauna, pigmentation, and geochronology. I also filtered sea water to be used for particulate organic matter analysis.In addition, I have learned to maintain the salinities and cleanliness of saltwater tanks of varying sizes. I was also trained to feed and perform water changes for sensitive octocorals.

Tallahassee, Florida, United States

I researched marine sponges, corals, and algae and identified species through use of databases, books, and help from mentors. I Used ImageJ, R Studio, and PhotoQuad to analyze coral reef functional groups and percent cover, along with coral and sponge interactions. Also, I collaborated with another undergraduate student and presented at WIMSE Symposium and FSU Undergraduate Research Symposium. I also gained some experience with animal husbandry by cleaning and caring for corals in tanks.

Moss Landing, California, United States

I worked on my own research project to analyze the effectiveness of remote video systems in gathering data on invertebrates. I took presence/absence recordings and compared them with data gathered from BRUVS, BOSS, and ROV footage. In addition, I reviewed how biodiversity metrics differed between sites within marine protected areas from those within reference sites. I also created a scientific poster and a Prezi, which I presented at the REU Symposium.

Remote

I ran over 200 surveys with targeted individuals each shift, collecting data on demographics, socioeconomic status, and experiences with different programs. I frequently navigated questions and concerns. Also, I handled rejections from numerous respondents and effectively encouraged contacts to finish surveys without compromising results each day.

Lake Worth, Florida, United States

During my time at Target, I built strong relationships with team members and regular guests. I also greeted and sent off hundreds of guests with polite and personalized conversation and promoted and explained benefits of products and services each work day. I presided over 4 self-checkout stations while ensuring quality of guests’ trips and resolving issues when necessary.