2023 in a Nutshell
Hello beautiful Souls,
Since the last time we spoke, many beautiful things have happened to me. To recap where we left off, I established my Ph.D. committee and found a niche I am very passionate about. Since then, I have been nominated to apply for the NOAA EPP MSI GFP Fellowship, which extends a year of work in the NOAA line office of your choosing. Since September, I have worked with NOAA NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center) Sandy Hook lab. Within this internship, I will complete a chapter of my dissertation on blue carbon in Puerto Rico mangrove sediments and will complete this internship at the end of August. If you would like to know more about this internship and what it entails, you can lick this link: https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi/csc/eppmsi-graduate-fellowship-program
There was also a press release done for me when it was announced I was the intern for the 2023 class, and you can find that here. Though I know there are a lot of naysayers regarding my capabilities, I am beyond excited to have this opportunity to become a better-equipped scientist by working with NOAA scientists directly during this internship. Through this internship, I could identify and solidify the last member of my Ph.D. committee, which has warmed my heart tremendously. Dr. Eagle is a USGS biogeochemist whose work focuses on the rate of change within coastal ecosystems using geochemical tools. She will serve as the subject matter expert during my time, and I foresee becoming one of the prominent people I speak with. She joins as a member of a wonder team that includes Dr. Pant, Dr. Merchant, Dr. Blake, and Dr. Hernandez. Through this meeting, I had a mini internship at the USGS hosted by Dr. Eagle this past week, where I learned a lot of technical skills and got guidance on the structure for my Ph.D. -related things. I am currently working on my first manuscript, and I am excited!
Furthermore, besides research-related things, for the first time in a long time, I went on two vacations in 2023. First, I spent a week in Key West with my family and then went on my first cruise! The cruise was by far my favorite thing of 2023, and I cannot wait to go on the next one. The sunrise, sunsets, ocean views, and activities were very refreshing, not to mention being disconnected from the world for eight days due to no service on the ocean! Once I have completed my internship, I look forward to getting away again to recharge my batteries!
Throughout the past couple of months, it has been very clear to me that the right support team will allow you to feel loved and guided and also allow you to grow as a person and a professional in your desired field. Remember that you are not growing and expanding if you are comfortable in your environment. As my mentor, Dr. Shakila Merchant, always says, “Mastering how to be comfortable in uncomfortable spaces is the key to life. You know that you are learning and growing.”
Here’s a reminder that you will feel defeated, confused, and even unworthy with the wrong team, but with the right team, you will feel supported, loved, and boosted in confidence. You start to see things so clearly and truly begin to see how things tie together—your quality of life increases. Because of my team, my dad, Dr. Merchant, Dr. Hari Pant, Dr. William Hernandez, Dr. Blake, and the addition of Dr. Eagle, I have never been so confident in my work or myself.
Until next time,
Embrace every part of your being.
