Back on home turf, University of West Florida, Sunday was pizza night with an orientation overview of details for this week's schedule. It was also a meet and greet with the professors that will be with us throughout the week, Dr. Albrecht and Dr. Caffrey. Besides those highlights, the day was mostly uneventful and filled with relaxation.
Monday involved looking at the urban part of the Pensacola watershed and seeing the various impacts both nature and humans had on water flow in this area. At all the areas we stopped at, we collected water samples to be used at a later time this week. In addition, we visited the EPA station in Pensacola. Here we heard the stories of how each of the individuals that worked at the EPA got to there current position and the research that they were currently a part of. Tuesday we continued our watershed expedition, this time the more rural part of the Pensacola watershed, the Indian Bayou. After collection of water samples were completed, we went back to the lab to analyze the past water samples collected across the state for microplastics. The Naval Live Oaks submerged groundwater discharge work we did Wednesday was the highlight for me this week. Here we did another seagrass sampling and also learn about the research going on with groundwater discharge being done by
Dr. Schwartz & students. As an individual interested in oceanographer it was quite the experience to see how coastal data was collected. After assisting in the data collection at Naval Live Oak, we return to the lab to analyze total suspended load in water samples collected at UWF along with chlorophyll a and nitrate present in water sample collected. This was analysis was finished Thursday afternoon once the FIO students return from the Santa Rosa Island from shorebirds identification. Friday we had our last meeting in the class and presented the data collected across the state to our fellow peers, and professors that were able to attend the online broadcast. This was kinda a heartfelt moment, on one hand, the class was over, thus this amazing chapter has come to a close with a new chapter to take its place soon. On the other hand, the friends I made from other universities now part separate ways back to their own universities.
Overall, this course has been a once in a lifetime experience which I am glad to have experienced. The time spent with my fellow FIO 2018 classmates, to the facility that made this all possible was what made this experience what it was. I wanted to give a special thanks to a few of the professors who had the biggest impact on me throughout this week. Dr. Smith, you set the tone for this course and showed us what this course could be if we had the same viewpoint as you. Everyone down KML, from Dr. Hanisak and Dr. Voss to the researchers to those who drove us on the boat, even with the threat of weather constantly looming you were ready for the worst and constantly providing with your wisdom from your knowledge. Along with encouraging thoughts as several of us feed the yellowtails. Dr. Judkins, Dr. Caffrey, and Dr. Albrecht as the final two weeks professors, you all kept us motivated as we began to wear down from the constant action this course provides. Your knowledge and encouragement helped in the continued drive to wake up and see what new experience lied beyond the horizon. So, thank you for all the work you put into this class. I hope you all continue to provide a similar experience to the next set of FIO Marine Field Studies Course as you did for ours.
Until the next time when our paths cross,
This is Daniel Gartin signing off from the FIO's Marine Field Studies Course of 2018
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| EPA Gulf Ecology Division Welcoming us from FIO Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| One of the Presenters Presentation at EPA Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| One of the Many Research Projects Currently going at EPA Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| The Last Presenter Advising us About Future Planning Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| Viewing the Indian Bayou on a Bridge Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| Discussing Seagrasses Present in Quadrant Sample with Megan Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| Both of Us Float Easily. This was Our Agreed Upon Method to View Quadrant in More Detail up close Photoed by Dr. Barbara Albrecht |
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| Hannah and I Running the Collection of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in Water Samples Collected Across Pensacola, Florida Photoed by Dr. Barbara Albrecht |
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| Prediscuss Material Entailing Shorebird Surveying Techniques and Difficulty Related to Surveying Mobile Organisms Photoed by Dr. Barbara Albrecht |
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| Holding our "Lighting Rod," Radio Signal Antenna to Find Hidden Signal Device Box on Beach Photoed by Dr. Barbara Albrecht |
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| Collecting Dry Weight of TSS with Group Members of Group 2 Photoed by Dr. Barbara Albrecht |
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| End of the Survey, Nesesity Break to Collect Closing on Discussed Material Photoed by Dr. Barbara Albrecht |
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| The Calm Before the Presentation Began. Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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| Presentation of Group 2 Begins Photo By Amanda Schaaf |
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| Our Final Group Shot of FIO 2018 Marine Field Class Before Parting Our Separate Ways Photoed by Amanda Schaaf |
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