| UCME Interns |
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Nicole Wischlinski
Parrotfish, grazing and algal dynamics
Nicole is an Environmental Conservation Biologist hailing from Alberta, Canada. Having arrived on the island mid-October with a new found love for diving, she was graciously accepted into the UCME family as a research intern. Her time here has been spent at the side of George who has sparked her new love for Parrotfish. Nicole spends her time learning the inner workings of the life of the parrotfish, identifying all the vibrant species of algae that inhabit the study site, and generally just rockin' out on the Octopussy! |
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Katie Hogg
Cetacean research
Katie graduated with a degree in Marine and Environmental biology from St Andrews, Scotland. Her role here is to assist in Ossie's quest to determine levels of residency in the marine mammals seen around Utila. She is developing a program which can be used to catalogue dorsal fin photographs. Like fingerprints dorsal fins allow for non invasive identification. This will allow her to determine whether the same individuals are seen regularly and also if they have associations with particular individuals.
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Kenneth D. Hoadley
Queen Conch Restoration
Kenny recently received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is currently working on a Queen Conch culture project to help restore the islands dwindling conch population as well as build a sustainable fishery around the animal. By constructing an aquaculture facility on the island and employing local fishermen, we can transform the conch fishery into a farm-based system and alleviate some of the fishing pressures on the reef. Kenneth is interested in using aquaculture as a tool for marine conservation efforts. He is particularly interested in marine ornamental fish and coral culture and hopes to see the aquarium industry move towards this direction. |
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Kyle Pieti
Sustainable Fisheries Management
Kyle is a recent graduate of Western Washington University where he studied environmental science with an emphasis on marine ecology. Coming from a commercial fishing family, he is interested in the sustainable management of marine resources, especially small-scale fisheries. Currently working with UCME and resident fishermen of the local cays, Kyle hopes to assist the cayian community with the development of a comprehensive fisheries management plan that will allow fishing to remain as a reliable source of income for many generations to come. |
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Alicia Bustillos Ardaya
Socio-Economic and Environmental Development
Raised in a land without coasts, the passion for the marine environment was built five years ago when she came from Bolivia to Honduras. Alicia is currently studying socioeconomic and environmental development at Zamorano, Pan-American school for Agriculture in Honduras. At UCME she is conducting research on the relationship between mangroves, seagrass and coral reefs around Utila in order to establish the significance of their interactions and their importance in the provision of natural resources. She is also trying to measure the impact that man and human activities are making in marine ecosystems and looking for a future solution through popular participation and community cooperation. |
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Lourdes Delta Arrueta Antequera
From Bolivia, a country with no coast; she is studying Environmental Science at Zamorano, Pan-American school for Agriculture in Honduras. She is interested in mangroves and their connectivity with seagrass and coral reefs. When she came to Utila, she didn't know how to swim, but now she loves and enjoys diving. |
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