Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to spend a week on Maria Island with IMAS (University of Tasmania Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies) and twenty-three other students from around Australia. The focus of the trip was to learn about what it takes to become a marine scientist and gave me an insight into what University life is like.
Maria Island was our classroom as we explored the marine reserve. I spent the week snorkelling to conduct fish surveys, checking out the biodiversity of rock pools, and taking ocean samples to study zooplankton and infauna in our island lab.
In our spare time, we went hiking, snorkelling, looking at bioluminescence in the ocean, and getting to know one another.
The scientific data we collected is used by IMAS to document environmental changes, making this experience even more meaningful and impactful.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and is one of the most amazing experiences, for anyone interested in marine biology.
By student Laura Winchcombe
