STEP-Reflection Marine Research in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Name: Marissa Moran

Type of Project: Education Abroad

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

This summer, I spent four weeks in South Caicos with the School for Field Studies where I worked alongside fellow students and faculty to develop a research project related to marine conservation. My research team focused on assessing changes in the abundance of queen conch and the types of substrate they inhabit in order to better understand the effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on the local environment. After we collected our data in the field and analyzed our results, we presented our research at the end of the session.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

For as long as I can remember, I had always dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. I have always been extremely passionate about environmental conservation and my interest in marine life dates back to when I was a young child. Since the opportunities for studying marine life in the Midwest are fairly limited, I knew that I wanted my STEP project to incorporate my passion for studying marine life because such an opportunity would be nothing short of a transformational experience for me. When I stumbled upon this program during a study abroad fair and did some further research, I knew that this opportunity would be a dream come true. I had always considered myself to be a fairly shy person so I knew that an education abroad program would be a dramatic shift out of my comfort zone. Although I was very apprehensive about traveling alone, this trip taught me that I am actually much more eager to try new things and it also gave me a newfound sense of confidence and self-realization.

Life as a marine biologist in the field is not easy. The days were long, the data collection was exhausting, and the research analysis was often tedious and frustrating. However, I loved every minute of it and embarking on this trip helped to re-solidify my passion for marine conservation. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

One of the most impactful activities during my STEP Signature Project was learning how to snorkel for the first time and being able to see firsthand how wondrous marine ecosystems truly are. I hardly ever swim and had never swum in the open ocean before but once I learned to adjust to wearing fins and a mask and snorkel, swimming in the ocean felt so natural and fluid. Since the majority of the trip was spent collecting data on boats or swimming in local reefs, I felt like I had the perfect opportunity to utilize my newfound love of snorkeling. Since the Turks and Caicos Islands are home to some of the best coral reefs on the planet, my appreciation of how lucky I was to be on this program helped contribute to my newfound confidence and my desire to immerse myself in every new experience. This confidence allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and contributed to my overall excitement to explore the environment. 

Getting to know the faculty and the other students participating in this program was another impactful factor that contributed to my overall transformation. I was one of 24 student participants and even though we had different backgrounds and spanned from all walks of life, we quickly bonded over our shared love of science and environmental conservation. Although we only knew each other for four weeks, I consider the people on the trip some of my closest friends and we still continue to stay in touch. Every night, after all of our work for the day had been completed, we would lounge near the hammocks and picnic tables and tell stories until late in the night. Since South Caicos is a fairly undeveloped island, the lack of light pollution meant that the night sky looked spectacular. Small, simple moments like this are memories that I will treasure forever. Additionally, the faculty leading the program were phenomenal and it was incredibly inspiring to learn about the types of work and research that they were involved in. I felt like the faculty truly cared about each student on the program and they really took the time to get to know everyone and be accessible. When the program came to a close and we all had to part ways at the airport, there was not a dry eye in sight. I honestly believe that the friendships that I made while abroad have made me even more environmentally conscious and motivated to achieve my career goals.

A final interaction that contributed to my overall transformation was getting to know local residents of the island through  community outreach activities that took place every Saturday. Even though South Caicos was hit by two devastating hurricanes in 2017 and much of the island was still in disarray, everyone that I talked to was extremely optimistic and had a very positive outlook on life. Additionally, the locals that were always willing to help us students or answer our questions in spite of the overall lack of resources and the poverty on the island. This welcoming atmosphere was surprising to me and I was also surprised by how happy these people were in spite of having so little. I realized that material things are not important to having a happy and fulfilling lifestyle. What matters most are the kinds of people that you choose to surround yourself with. I also realized that even though my time in South Caicos was limited, I wanted to do whatever I could to help support the local community. As a result, I plan on fundraising and sending donations back to the island because I want to help make a difference.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

I had an absolutely incredible experience and I firmly believe that my time abroad will be very beneficial for my academic and professional goals. Although this study abroad program was run through a third-party provider and not Ohio State, my advisor was able to get the credit hours to transfer as elective credits towards my major. As a result, I am one step closer to completing my Bachelor’s of Science in Zoology. Additionally, this program has motivated me to get my SCUBA certification which could open countless doors for me if I choose to pursue a career working in a zoo/aquarium or with a conservation agency. Additionally, I plan on sharing the findings of the research that I conducted this summer with faculty at Ohio State University as well as potential future employers because the research we conducted is important to help further people’s understanding of how climate change and natural disasters affect marine life.