By: Tessa Wiegand
Marine Conservation in Utila, Honduras
Hi! My name is Tessa Wiegand and I am currently a first-year undergraduate student and Global Scholar at Florida State University. I have been given the opportunity to participate in research globally with which I will then compose a Capstone project. To me, being a Global Scholar means more than simply studying or traveling abroad, but actively looking to understand perspectives different from my own and recognizing how connected global issues are. I am going to carry out global scholarship by being globally engaged and gaining education cross-culturally. This summer, I will be traveling to Utila, Honduras and participating in a marine conservation internship at the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center. There I will be working alongside researchers while learning how marine conservation efforts operate in a real-world setting. During the program, I’ll earn scuba certifications up to advanced open water so I can safely take part in research dives. I’ll gain hands-on experience identifying Caribbean reef fish, corals, and other reef-associated organisms. I’ll also learn coral reef surveying techniques and help collect data during dives. Another major part of the internship involves marine megafauna population monitoring, specifically whale sharks. In addition to fieldwork, I’ll be involved in community outreach and environmental education. I am very much looking forward to seeing how living on a Caribbean island will give me insight into how conservation and eco-tourism intersect. At the same time, I feel some apprehension about adapting to a new environment, culture, and routine. However, I believe that these challenges will ultimately help me grow and become more independent and culturally aware. My community based interest is environmental science/conservation. I chose to investigate this because I am hoping to go into the veterinary field, specifically working with marine animals, and I think that this will be a good insight to the marine science world. To collect qualitative data, I will be using structured interviews and observations within the community. I expect my research of how coastal communities are responding to human degradation of marine ecosystems to bring awareness as they are increasingly threatened by human activity. I will integrate myself in and engage in my host community by being open to the new cultures I discover and immersing myself into new ideas and experiences. I also plan to participate in local events and support local businesses. I will approach every interaction with openness and respect, allowing me to learn from the people and culture around me. In addition to learning from others, I hope to share my own values by promoting environmental awareness and engaging in meaningful conversations about sustainability. I believe that this exchange of ideas is essential to global scholarship, as it creates a mutual understanding and deeper connection. Overall, this experience will allow me to grow as a student, researcher, and global citizen while contributing to a deeper understanding of how communities can work together to protect marine ecosystems.
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