Kathleen LaRow, 2012, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Kathleen LaRow ’12

Working for Frontier, a non profit conservation and development NGO, as a research assistant was an amazing experience. Over the summer, I helped to collect data that will be used to examine the effectiveness of the Marine Protected Area. The hope is that placing this area under protection has promoted an increase in biodiversity and abundance of marine populations. To investigate this hypothesis, I conducted underwater marine surveys of the quantity and types of reef fish, coral, and invertebrates on twenty-five meter transects. Along with diving to collect data on marine life, I helped collect date along extensive mangrove transects to examine the extent that local people are utilizing the trees and to provide a baseline for future analysis. From learning about marine ecology and survey techniques to interacting with the local community, I have gained so much through this program.