Well my loyal blog readers, this will be my final blog post, as we have reached the end of the REU program. To recap you on recent events, all of the REUs met up at Spruce Ranch, where the South Slough interns and graduate research fellows stay, for a crab boil this past weekend, and I was super excited that my fellow REUs had the opportunity to meet Lara and Jay, the NOAA Davidson fellow and her intern assistant that I have been working with all summer. The crab boil was Sebastian and Colleen’s idea, so of course, the invasive European green crab was the main dish, along with shrimp and corn. I have not really been exposed to seafood that much throughout my life, so this was the first time that I have ever eaten crab. Overall, the food was delicious, and everyone had a really great time. To end the night, I had to say goodbye to Lara and Jay, which made me tear up a little bit because they were great to work with and I will miss them both very much.
Movie Night Update: For our final movie night, we watched Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen with Lindsay Lohan. Personally, I have not watched this movie in a long time, so it was nice to refresh myself on the plot of such a good movie with my REU friends. To make this movie night extra special, we even brought face masks so that we could have a mini spa session during the movie. Making edits and finalizing the details of our posters has been the main theme of this week, so we have all been working tirelessly in preparation for the poster presentation. We finally turned in the final draft of our poster on Tuesday for printing, so in celebration (and as a last hurrah), we went to Hall Lake, which is approximately 11 acres in size and about thirty minutes from Charleston. This gorgeous lake features beautiful sand dunes surrounded by evergreen forests. For the first time this summer, I actually fully got into the water, which was so nice. I simply dipped my toes into the water every other time this summer because the water was too cold, and even though the lake water was chilly, I really enjoyed swimming after such a long time. We also listened to some music and relaxed on the sand, a much needed break from the stress of the poster this week. Overall, I am slightly nervous about the poster presentation, but I am also proud of the work that I have accomplished. Reflecting on the entire program, I can definitely see that I have grown not only as a scientist and a researcher but also as an individual. This program has taught me various scientific and professional skills, ranging from fieldwork to data analysis to how to apply to graduate schools. Additionally, I have branched out and come out of my shell a little, allowing me to meet some really cool people and make some really awesome friends during my time here. Even though I am ecstatic to be heading home soon, saying farewell to my fellow REUs is certainly going to be the most difficult part of the end of this program. Until next time, Chloe Cummins (aka the “Eelgrass Whisperer”, as dubbed by my mentor Ali)
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AuthorHi everyone! My name is Chloe Cummins, and I am from Loretto, Tennessee. I am a rising senior at the University of Tennessee Southern where I am pursuing a B.S. degree in Biology (with a concentration in Wildlife Biology and Ecology) and a minor in Sustainability. I’m super excited to be researching the reproductive ecology of eelgrass with my mentor Ali Helms at the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve during my time here at OIMB! Archives
August 2022
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