Where are they now? Spotlight on our Previous Interns: Christian Schumacher

What dates did you intern at Forfar Field Station?

I was an Environmental Educator at Forfar from 2021-2022.

How did the Forfar internship benefit you in your current job or your future career goals?

My time at Forfar helped solidify my passion for sustainability and environmental outreach. Working with curious students and interacting with amazing Bahamian locals has pushed me in a career direction where I want to be involved with getting people excited and involved with environmental efforts. Going forward, I will be working at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency where I hope to put the experience and knowledge I’ve recently gained to good use.

What professional skills did you gain from the internship?

Working at Forfar allowed me to really develop my teaching and leadership skills. In a world where being able to effectively and concisely communicate your thoughts and ideas is so important, my time on Andros was invaluable.

What is the most memorable or favorite part of your Forfar internship?

A memorable moment that sticks out to me was my first time seeing dolphins. On a return trip from Joulters Cay, our boat driver, Franklin, spotted a couple dolphins in the distance, so we went off course for a closer look. As we approached, we realized that what we had thought were just 2 or 3 turned out to be a pod of 30. For the next half hour, we watched dolphins jump around, swim right up to the boat, and even jumped in ourselves to swim with them. It was truly a once in a lifetime moment that really encapsulated the natural wonder of Andros and The Bahamas.

Where is your hometown? Where are you living now?

I was born and raised in International Field Studies’ backyard, Columbus, Ohio. I’m back in Columbus for the foreseeable future while I start my full time career.

What job(s) have you had since your time at Forfar? What are your responsibilities in the role?

Since returning home from Forfar I have been working part-time with IFS in the Columbus office. In mid February, I will be starting full-time with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency as an Environmental Specialist in materials management and community outreach.

Any current hobbies or places travelled?

At the moment I’m trying to weather an Ohio winter after experiencing the year long summer that is The Bahamas. However, come spring, I’m looking forward to playing disc golf, tennis, and hiking. I’ve always enjoyed traveling to new places so I’m looking forward to planning a trip abroad with a friend this summer. I would also love to return to Andros at some point in the not so distant future.

Any other updates you would like to share with IFS?

Working with IFS and Forfar was one of the best experiences of my life and I’ve seen first hand the impact that a year or just a week on Andros can have on someone. Its ability to interweave fun and excitement with education and conservation has and will continue to inspire the next generation of young people in the environmental field.

Where are they now? Spotlight on our Previous Interns: Franchesca Palomino

What dates did you intern at Forfar Field Station?

I was interning from October 2019- March 2020.

How did the Forfar internship benefit you in your current job or your future career goals?

The opportunity to gain certifications like SCUBA diving, wilderness first aid and sea kayaking were really useful to add to my resume and allowed me stand out more.

What professional skills did you gain from the internship?

I definitely got to work more on my public speaking skills by giving presentations and leading field trips. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to work on interpersonal skills by having a chance to work and interact with a range of people of different ages and from different backgrounds.

What is the most memorable or favorite part of your Forfar internship?

My favorite part really was the nights of just hanging out with the guests and my coworkers talking, laughing and playing games. You really got a chance to learn so much from the people that surrounded you in such a short time period.

Where is your hometown? Where are you living now?

I’m from the beautiful Bahamas, New Providence to be exact and I am right back in the capital.

What job(s) have you had since your time at Forfar? What are your responsibilities in the role?

I currently work as a Jr. Environmental Scientist at BRON Ltd. where I work in environmental consultancy. Organizations/people, who want to develop, come to us and we do field work to assess the area of it’s habitat and biodiversity. Then we write our reports ranging from Environmental Baseline Statements to Environmental Impact Assessments to Environmental Management Plans. Our reports are then sent to the appropriate Government officials to be approved to garner a Certificate of Environmental Clearance. In summation, I do lots of field work, research and writing.

Any current hobbies or places travelled?

Well sadly, I left Forfar during the pandemic, which we are still in, so no traveling since. I enjoy crocheting, reading, and any chance I get to go to the beach.

Any other updates you would like to share with IFS?

I am truly appreciative of the time I got to spend at Forfar and the things I learned, even though my time sadly got cut short.

Where are they now? Spotlight on our Previous Interns: Aaron John

What dates did you intern at Forfar Field Station?

I was an intern at Forfar from 2018-2020.

How did the Forfar internship benefit you in your current job or your future career goals?

The internship benefited me by providing a practical hands-on view of conservation and the environmental field. It has conditioned me to be flexible to changing conditions, showed me how I can express my enthusiasm, and a increased my willingness to share what the Bahamas has to offer.

What professional skills did you gain from the internship?

During my time at the Forfar Field Station I gained lots of transferrable skills. Skills such as managing, adaptability & flexibility, operational experience, and experience in resource-constrained environments.

What is the most memorable or favorite part of your Forfar internship?

Connecting with guests and staff over a game of Volleyball or Ping-Pong.

Where is your hometown? Where are you living now?

My Hometown is the island of New Providence Nassau, Bahamas. Currently living in Nassau.

What job(s) have you had since your time at Forfar? What are your responsibilities in the role?

I began work with the Bahamas National Trust as an Education Officer and my responsibilities include: creating and distributing education and outreach materials, facilitating environmental education workshops, conducting field trips and educational tours within the New Providence National Parks and coordinating community meetings.

Any current hobbies or places travelled?

My hobbies include: in-line skating, playing volleyball, playing the guitar and reading. I've recently returned from a South Andros Trip.

Any other updates you would like to share with IFS?

I am enjoying my time with Bahamas National Trust and look forward to working with IFS whenever possible.

Where are they now? Spotlight on our Previous Interns: Anna Safryghin

We love to highlight what our former interns are up to after their time at Forfar Field Station. Anna Safryghin was a member of the team here at Forfar during the 2018-2019 season.

How did the Forfar internship benefit you in your current job or your future career goals?

The internship at Forfar was a crucial stepping stone for the career that I wanted to pursue. Getting the opportunity to teach and educate students of all ages about the environment strengthened my passion for teaching and sharing my knowledge about the environment even further. Coming from a very marine science and research heavy background, the internship broadened my interests and made me discover my inner teacher in me, and that is a side that I will always try and include in both my current role as well as any future roles.

What professional skills did you gain from the internship?

The internship at Forfar has taught me a wide range of skills as well as strengthened abilities that I already had acquired. I am now very confident in my teaching, presenting and leadership skills, which have been proven particularly useful in my current role. Additionally while at Forfar, I was also able to develop a few practical skills, free diving, kayaking, and wilderness medicine to name a few.

What is the most memorable or favorite part of your Forfar internship?

I truly loved my internship at Forfar, and made some amazing memories with the rest of the incredible staff. Getting to construct and deliver two full credit marine science college courses to the local college (BAMSI) is perhaps the moment I remember the most and makes me the most proud.

Where is your hometown? Where are you living now? *

Originally from a small town in the north of Italy, I am now living in Edinburgh (Scotland).

What job(s) have you had since your time at Forfar? What are your responsibilities in the role?

Soon after I completed my internship with Forfar, I took on the role of Blog Manager for the non profit organization Women In Ocean Science (WOS) which is dedicated to tackling gender issues in marine science and conservation. I have been involved with WOS for the past 3 years, and have now become the Director and Operations Manager. In this new capacity I am responsible for the daily operations of the organization, securing funding, establishing partnerships and pursuing our mission to empower women in ocean related careers and learning environments.

Any current hobbies or places travelled?

While I do greatly miss being able to go snorkeling and diving in my free time, as I used to do at Forfar, I still try and spend time in the very cold waters of the North Sea through surfing. Travel has been limited for the past few years, however I have a few trips planned this upcoming summer, to name one, I will be going to Portugal representing Women In Ocean Science at the UN Ocean Conference.

Any other updates you would like to share with IFS?

Last year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I also decided to go back to school where I obtained a Master in Science in Marine Systems and Policies from the University of Edinburgh.

Where are they now? Spotlight on our Previous Interns: Mattew Speegle

We love to highlight what our former interns are up to after their time at Forfar Field Station. Matthew Speegle was a member of the team here at Forfar during the 2018-2019 season.

How did the Forfar internship benefit you in your current job or your future career goals?

The main skill set I took from my time at Forfar is the ability to learn to identify a large quantity of species in a effective way while being able to quickly identify them in the field. It has truly helped my throughout my career because if I am working in a new field, or region, with different species that I haven't worked with before, my employer always feels reassured that they won’t have to spend extra time and effort training me.

What professional skills did you gain from the internship?

Learning to work with and communicate with such a variety of people was definitely the most important skill that I gained from the internship. As part of my current job, I am always meeting, working with, and living in close quarters, with new people. It is essential to be able to communicate effectively in order to work together with new people. If you don't, you quickly learn that you will enjoy your job much less.

What is the most memorable or favorite part of your Forfar internship?

There are obviously so many memorable moments during my time in Andros from swimming in the blue waters to dancing with my fellow interns on the weekend. But the one memory that always comes back to me is when I was able to scuba dive in Cousteau's Blue Hole on my 26th birthday. It was a great experience because of how “once in a lifetime” it actually was. I never thought that I would be able to dive in such a amazing and distinct location. Never before did I think I would get a chance to dive in such a place that made me feel like I was on a different planet.

Where is your hometown? Where are you living now?

My hometown is Castro Valley, California. And I am currently living in Dana Point, California, where there is a little bit more sunshine and a lot better beach.

What job(s) have you had since your time at Forfar? What are your responsibilities in the role?

I have worked two jobs since my time at Forfar. My first job title was Fishery Observer. I worked for Frank Oarth and Associates, who is contracted by NOAA to work the Southwest region of fisheries. I would travel on commercial fishing boats from a week to a month at a time, to collect data (i.e. measurements, weight, sex) and samples (i.e. stomach, tissue, liver, reproductive organs, gills) of all the fish that we catch and keep while on the boat, then bring them back to the lab to do an in-depth analysis of all the samples. All of the data and analysis goes to NOAA scientists. My second job is a biological monitor for an environmental consulting firm. I work with construction firms to minimize and mitigate the biological impacts or their projects. It mainly consists of a lot of surveys and technical reports, but I get to work outside and meet new people everyday.

Any current hobbies or places traveled?

While I am not working, I am spending mostly all my time either surfing or playing golf. Dana point is the perfect place for these because, as you can imagine, it is always sunny, and there are always waves. As for travel, I have mostly been finding new places around California to camp, as there is never a shortage of new locations, and travelling to Mexico to get a taste of the tropical weather which I miss so much.

Any other updates you would like to share?

I miss being in such an amazing place as Andros, and it is nearly impossible for me to refrain from telling any new person I meet about my time there.

Where are they now? A Spotlight on our Previous Interns: Jade Reinhart!

Every so often, we like to look back at our interns and see how they’re doing after they’ve left Forfar. Today we’ll be following up on Jade Reinhart!

Jade worked at Forfar during our 2017-2018 season. Her hobbies include fitness, longboarding, and volunteer bird banding. She followed her love of marine science after leaving Forfar, and now she lives at Jekyll Island in Georgia working as a Coastal Educator for the University of Georgia.

“I teach a variety of classes in the field,” Jade told us, “but some of my favorites are Maritime Forest Ecology, Herpetology, Beach Ecology, and Environmental Issues! I also have other duties such as animal husbandry, programming, managing, and maintenance - but teaching students how to be conservation stewards is the most rewarding part of my job.”

Jade says that her time at Forfar got her interested in conservation non-profit management. She hopes to study this in grad school and eventually make it her career. Conservation is a huge part of what we do at Forfar, and we’re so glad we could introduce Jade to this topic!

Jade’s time at Forfar helped her develop different skills that she still uses today. Her work with seagrass and our coral propagation site (which you can read more about here) helped improve her dive skills. She also honed her flexibility and problem solving skills as she led students on field excursions throughout the island. These skills help her teach students about the importance of conservation.

Forfar has left a big impression on Jade. Ever since coming back to the United States, she’s been living a more sustainable lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same. She told us, “I am implementing several sustainable alternatives at my current job - all which I learned at Forfar!”

Enjoy teaching the next generation of marine scientists, Jade!