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My name is Alannah Wister and I am one of the five selected interns from Ouray High School. I just begun my internship in Marine Biology at the Hawaii’ Institute of Marine Biology on Coconut Island, Hilo, HI.I arrived at the Honolulu airport where I was greeted by Rob Toonan where he generously met me with a Hawaiian Lei necklace. We drove the Pali highway for a scenic drive back to his home, where I spent my first night. The next day, Rob’s family and I ventured to Coconut Island where I got settled in at my room. I enjoyed a snorkel and got a tour of the island/labs.
Miranda, Professor Toonan’s family, friends, and myself before my first snorkel.
During my internship I will be working with several different people. These people include: Professor Rob Toonan, Researcher Zac Forsman, Post Doctorate Ingrid Knapp, and a local intern Miranda Lentz. During my time here I will be setting up and conducting three different experiments. One involving multi specie growth, size development, and strength of water flow.
ToBo Lab
I have been working in the ToBo lab particularly with the coral farm. Miranda and I have been collecting corals of three different genus’s: Porites, Pocillopora, and Montipora. Then we tag them and attach the corals to an eppendorf tubes with epoxy.
The tagging, mounting, and measuring process.
Although Coconut island is only 29 acres, I am enjoying every day here. I have leaned so much about life as a marine biologist and it is only my first week!
Miranda and I hard at work.
Unbelievable work your first week! We are excited about your
Experiments, especially with the coral. Looking forward about
getting more updates as you go along….Good work and Good Luck!
~Connie / Garner
This is so exciting to read,live your dreams and keep up the fantastic work.You are a fantastic being of light who cares about our oceans and planet.Continue on your path and all your goals will be reached,Congradulations!!!