The Tribune

THE Alf Thompson Memorial Scholarship (ATMS) Committee has selected two students from Nassau to be the recipients of its annual internship awards.

This scholarship, started by the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre in 2011, was initiated to honour the memory of John Alfred Thompson, a gifted Bahamian trained in engineering and the sciences.

This summer, ATMS will send two aspiring Bahamians to Bimini Biological Field Station, commonly known as the "Shark Lab". Melissa Ingraham, 21, and 20-year-old Hydie Knowles, both from Nassau, will live and work at the Shark Lab while conducting studies with noted shark and marine biology research scientists, graduate students and other interns from around the globe. The internship runs from July 15 to August 15.

Ms Ingraham, who has previously worked with dolphins, sea lions and stingrays and participated in a whale camp led by the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation as well as a summer camp at Island School, which focused on bonefish catch and release, has a keen interest in sharks.

When asked about the opportunity at Bimini Biological Field Station this summer, she said: "I would like to gain hands-on experience with sharks. Their declining population is tragic, yet because of the dangerous depiction of sharks by the media, the general public is not concerned about these declines. My goal is not only to learn about sharks, but to become their advocate and educate those who have misjudged them - shark conservation is important."

Currently a senior at the University of Tampa, Ms Ingraham previously attended Queen's College in Nassau, and Florida Gulf Coast University.

Ms Knowles is entering her third year at the University of the Bahamas; she is in the small island sustainability programme, majoring in marine biology. As a competitive swimmer from an early age and open water scuba diver, she has long had a love of the ocean. She wants to use her artistic talents to promote creative solutions to environmental problems.

When asked about her expectation of the internship in Bimini, Ms Knowles replied: "One of my goals will be to broaden my knowledge of the world's oceans. This knowledge will allow me to create products and solutions necessary to combat the impacts of human consumption."

She is particularly concerned about the effects of ocean acidification on coral growth and is keen to promote reduction of harmful micro-plastics.

The goal of the 2018 ATMS programme is to provide Bahamians with the opportunity to experience hands-on marine science research at the Shark Lab in Bimini. This will include learning about various research techniques in the disciplines of population demographics and dynamics, molecular and behavioural ecology, bioenergetics, sensory biology and physiology. The hope is that the internship experience will motivate students to further their studies and ultimately pursue careers in these fields.

These internships are made possible by the ATMS, offered through the Bahamas Marine EcoCentre and the Shark Lab, both non-profit organisations promoting awareness, conservation and respect for the Bahamian environment (www.bahamas-marine-ecocentre.org; www.miami.edu/sharklab).

To learn more about the Alf Thompson Memorial Scholarship, visit www.bahamas-marine-ecocentre.org.