NCBS Internships On The Nature Coast
Nature Coast Biological Station is partnering with federal and state agencies with UF students to work on research in the Nature Coast region this summer. The list below includes the intern and their partnered host affiliate, as well as the project title. To see more information on our previous Interns and their experiences, go see our blog.
Check out our Job Opportunities page for the next Summer Internship posting!
2021 Interns

Ashlyn Posey
Intern Host
Margaret Lamont and Travis Thomas
Project Title
Sturgeon and Terrapin Ecology

Grace Hejmanowski
Intern Host
Mark Clark
Project Title
Evaluating JR-CSA Artificial Oyster Substrate to Improve Water Quality

Katie Everett
Intern Host
Drs. Charlie Martin and Mike Allen
UF IFAS NCBS
Project Title
Historical Aspects of Common Snook Expansion on Florida's Nature Coast

Lisa DeFillips
Intern Host
Timothy Jones, Jamie Hammond, Trisha Green
Project Title
Big Bend Aquatic Seagrass Preserve - Coastal Monitoring

Meredith Anderson
Intern Host
Amanda W.J. Demopoulos / Jill R. Bourque
Project Title
Assessing the Functional Equivalency of Mangrove Restoration in SW Florida

Chloe Aborgast
Intern Host
Dr. Marcus Lashley
Project Title
Communicating Conservation Research to Broad Audiences

Samantha Mormile
Intern Host
Joyce Kleen
FWS & CRNWR
Project Title
Managing Public Use/Communications at Three Sisters Springs


Alexander Janelle
Intern Host
Darlene Velez
Project Title
Water Quality in the Suwannee River Basin

Emilee Stump
Intern Host
Dr. Julie Meyer
Project Title
Bacteria associated with seagrass roots/lucinid clams


Annabel Schreiber
Intern Host
Dr. AJ Reisinger
Project Title
Biogeochemical dynamics of stormwater ponds


2019 Interns

Connor Milton
Intern Host
Joyce Kleen
Project Title
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Manatee Monitoring


Caroline Barnett
Intern Host
Peter Frederick and Leslie Sturmer
Project Title
Shellfish Restoration

Shea Husband
Intern Host
Caleb Purtlebaugh and Taj Knapp
Project Title
Fisheries Independent Monitoring - Marine Research


Eric Bovee
Intern Host
Mike Allen and Samara Nehemiah
Project Title
Spotted Seatrout Age and Growth

Camila Leon
Intern Host
Robert McCleery
Project Title
Finding the Cedar Key Salt March Vole



Alexandra Reyes-Ramos
Intern Host
Joyce Kleen
Project Title
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Manatee Monitoring

Sarah Tevlin
Intern Host
Stephanie Verhulst and Carrie Adams
Project Title
Sea-level Rise and Saltmarsh Dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico, FL

William Ware
Intern Host
Tim Jones and Jamie Letendre
Project Title
Seagrass Monitoring & Assessment - Big Bend Seagrass Aquatic Preserve
2018 Interns

Anna Swigris
Intern Hosts
Tim Jones and Jamie Lentendre
Project Title
Seagrass Monitoring and Assessment-Big Bend Seagrass Aquatic Preserve


Cher Nicolson
Intern Hosts
Josh Patterson and Savanna Barry
Project Title
Centipede Bay Oyster and Marsh Habitat Enhancement Project

Samara Nehemiah
Intern Hosts
Mike Allen and Steve Geiger
Project Title
Bay Scallop Population and Recreational Fishery Monitoring

Tyler Fogt
Intern Hosts
Caleb Purtlebaugh, Johnny Polasik, & Taj Knapp
Project Title
Fisheries Independent Monitoring - Marine Research

Vita Repina
Intern Host
Mark Clark
Project Title
Strategies, Benefits and Stakeholder Preference of “Living Shorelines” to Enhance Daughtry Bayou

Brian Whalen
Intern Hosts
Mike Allen and Andrew Gude
Project Title
Improving Recreational Fishing Catch and Release Methods

Victoria Steinnecker
Intern Hosts
Mark Hinz & Tom Mirti
Project Title
Water Quality and Springs Monitoring

Amy Oxton
Intern Hosts
Steve Geiger & Jennifer Granneman
Project Title
Bay Scallop Population and Recreational Fishery Monitoring


Margaret Long
Intern Host
Joyce Palmer
Project Title
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Manatee Monitoring

Rebecca Rash
Intern Hosts
Joyce Palmer
Project Title
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Manatee Monitoring
2017 Interns

Jordana Cutajar
Intern Host
Darlene Velez
Project Title
Water Quality and Springs Monitoring

Courtney Stachowiak
Intern Host
Caleb Purtlebaugh
Project Title
Fisheries Independent Monitoring

Audrey Batzer
Intern Host
Dr. Christine Angelini
Project Title
Building with Nature

William Wolfson
Intern Host
Andrew Gude
Project Title
Cedar Key NWR Guided Kayak Fishing

Tristen Townsend
Intern Host
Dr. David Kaplan
Project Title
Investigating Changes in Coastal Forests Along the Nature Coast

Samantha Tiffany
Intern Host
Dr. Charles Martin & Dr. Laura Reynolds
Project Title
Diel Variability in Fish and Invertebrate Community Structure

Kimberly Magee
Intern Host
Dr. Savanna Barry
Project Title
Human Dimensions of Recrational Scalloping and Boating in the Nature Coast

Kelly Colvin
Intern Host
Tim Jones
Project Title
Seagrass Monitoring and Assessment-Big Bend Seagrass Aquatic Preserve

Kaley Terrell
Intern Host
Peter Frederick
Project Title
Oyster Research

Kacey Aukema
Intern Host
Dr. Mark Clark
Project Title
Investigating Strategies, Benefits and Stakeholder Preference of "Living Shorelines"

Joseph Littell
Intern Host
Dr. Bill Lindberg
Project Title
Application of Habitat Selection Theory and Reef Technology to Fisheries Management

Alec Cronin
Intern Host
Dr. Savanna Barry
Project Title
Human Dimensions of Recrational Scalloping and Boating in the Nature Coast
2016 Interns

Cory Gillis
Intern Host
Vic Doig and Larry Woodward
Project Title
Lower Suwannee Wildlife and Habitat Monitoring

Jessica Van Vaerenbergh
Intern Host
Dr. Bill Lindberg
Project Title
Application of Hatitat Selection Theory and Reef Technology to Fisheries Management

Hannah Van Horn
Intern Host
Timothy Jones and Jamie Letendere
Project Title
Seagrass and Water Quaility Monitoring In Florida's Big Bend

Julia Richter
Intern Host
Dr. Mark Clark
Project Title
Cedar Key Living Shoreline Demonstration and Canal Water Quality Enhancement Project

Lizzie Mayes
Intern Host
Caleb Purtlebaugh
Project Title
Fisheries Independent Monitoring