Dr. Nancy Foster scholars visit marine sanctuary
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ALPENA -- Recipients of the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, a prestigious scientific scholarship for graduate students in the field of marine biology, traveled from across the country to attend training at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) in Alpena last week.
The scholarship program only accepts between two to five out of 200-plus applicants, and the program lasts four years, according to Seaberry Nachbar, program manager for the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program.
"One of the very unique aspects of the NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship is this opportunity to bring our current and our new scholars for that year together," she explained. "I think that's the critical element ... This program is very much like a family."
While at TBNMS, scholars learned how to communicate their research to people who are non-scientists.
"We really feel it's very important for scientists to be able to communicate about what they do and why it's important," she said. "We really feel like it's an important part of letting the public know why their tax dollars are supporting this type of science and these scientists."
Nachbar stated that this is the second time that the scholarship program has hosted scholars at TBNMS. She said the first time was in 2014.
Two years ago, the scholars visited Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, according to Nachbar.
This sanctuary was designated in July 2019, and it protects the remains of over 100 World War I wooden steamships, which reside about 40 miles south of Washington, D.C.
"Which is also a sanctuary that's been designated as a sanctuary because of its rich maritime heritage," Nachbar added. "It's really nice to be able to follow up with another sanctuary that is focused around maritime heritage and archeology. So we did choose this area. We are so thrilled to be here."
Nachbar said that while scholars visit a community, their goal is to "infuse who we are as a federal agency, what our mission is, and why we're doing what we're doing."
She added that scholars "always try to give back in some way," whether that is through community engagement, outreach efforts, or service learning projects - such as beach cleanups or restoration projects.
Yasamin Sharifi, a current scholar and PhD student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that she's enjoyed her time at TBNMS thus far and was impressed by the unique Great Lakes ecosystems compared to her area of study in marshy, temperate climates.
"Thunder Bay is so unique compared to the places I've gone to see before," she explained. "I've never seen such clear water where you can see the bedrock like that and I’ve never before gotten to see shipwrecks like this."
Sharifi explained that her area of research focuses on seagrass which grows in coastal areas and stores carbon. She added that some scientists think that 20 to 30% of all the carbon in the ocean is stored in seagrass meadows.
Keiko Wilkins, a scholar and adjunct faculty member at Norfolk State University, said research focuses on plastic pollution and how it affects coral reefs. Her work has centered in the Hawaii archipelago which contains about 60% of the coral population in the United States. She added that coral reefs support approximately 25% of all marine life on the planet.
For Wilkins, she said visiting TBNMS has been "exciting" because she is originally from the Midwest and has visited Lake Erie. However, Michigan is a new adventure for her.
"It's been really exciting to be back closer to home, being in the Midwest," she said. "I don't know anything about shipwrecks, to be honest."
"I think being particularly here in Michigan, being able to see shipwrecks ... just to learn about the history and the culture, has been incredible."
Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.