Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant has welcomed four recent college graduates to serve as the 2022-2023 marine education fellows based at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island.

As part of the fellowship, they will gain experience in environmental education, aquarium husbandry and coastal extension. They will also be able to participate in professional development opportunities and build a network of environmental educators, marine researchers and conservationists working in coastal Georgia.

Throughout the year, the fellows will teach field, lab and lecture classes that are offered to visiting school groups. They will also assist with animal husbandry at the UGA Aquarium and work closely with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s extension specialists to incorporate information about their projects into educational programming.

Meet the 2022-2023 fellows:

Photo of Vanessa Navarro, a young woman with dark brown hair wearing a blue t-shirt sitting in front of water and spartina grassVanessa Navarro is from Fort Worth, Texas. She completed her undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where she studied environmental science with a concentration in environmental health and monitoring. Navarro has experience in research and environmental education, including leading public programs while working at Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve in Corpus Christi. She will spend her fellowship year providing educational programs to people of all ages. She is most looking forward to learning all about the Georgia coast through outdoor adventures while sharing her knowledge with others.

 

Photo of Camryn Arnstein, a young woman with blonde hair wearing a blue t-shirt sitting in front of water and spartina grassCamryn Arnstein is from Huntingtown, Maryland. She graduated with bachelor’s degrees in marine science and environmental studies from the University of South Carolina. Arnstein served as a NOAA Hollings intern conducting species monitoring at Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Huron, Ohio. She also worked as a camp instructor at UNC-Wilmington’s MarineQuest summer camps. Arnstein will be advancing her aquatic husbandry skills while working in the aquarium. She is hoping to gain new teaching experiences and connect with experts in the coastal ecology field.

 

Photo of Micayla Cochran, a young woman with reddish brown hair wearing a blue t-shirt sitting in front of water and spartina grassMicayla Cochran is from Atlanta, Georgia. She went to school at Vanderbilt University, double majoring in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology as well as Spanish. For the last two summers, Cochran has been a volunteer with the Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Program at Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota, Florida, where she helped monitor sea turtle nests. Cochran’s fellowship will focus primarily on teaching classes at the aquarium and providing outreach programs to local schools. She looks forward to improving her teaching skills and learning how to communicate with diverse audiences about science.

 

Photo of Annie Laura Sculz, a young woman with dark blonde hair wearing a blue t-shirt sitting in front of water and spartina grass

Annie Laura Schulz is from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has a bachelor’s degree in sustainability science from Furman University. Schulz worked at Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas studying sea turtles, mangroves, and sharks in field and lab settings. As a marine education fellow, she will conduct community outreach and work closely with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s extension specialists on different projects. Schulz is excited to learn about Georgia’s coast and marine life while being surrounded by others who are passionate about inspiring appreciation of the natural world through environmental education.