2013 Programme - Nadja Christen and Raul Garcia
Thanks to the generosity of the Donner Foundation, we were able to engage two Head Interns for the 2013 season. This has given us the flexibility to provide more of everything – more patrols, more training, more presentations, more community interaction and education initiatives.
Between them, our Head Interns have refined our training and testing , as well as developing presentations on turtle biology and conservation, for visiting tourists and local community audiences.
Nadja Christen
Selected as one of two head interns for 2013, Nadja hails from Switzerland. She has a Masters in Research and had previously worked with turtles in Costa Rica. Combined with her multi-lingual skills, Nadja came well equipped to head the turtle project.
Conscientious, smart and well-versed in conservation issues, Nadja has been providing supervision and support to undergraduate students conducting their own research.
Raul Garcia
Raul’s passion for turtle conservation was obvious from the minute he set foot on base in 2012, as part of a visiting group of the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) research assistants. He returned later in the season to assist with excavations, and he was a perfect skills match with Nadja.
Whether providing basic weekly Spanish classes on base, and assisting with environmental education at the local primary school, Raul is a charismatic people-person.
Between them, our Head Interns have refined our training and testing , as well as developing presentations on turtle biology and conservation, for visiting tourists and local community audiences.
Nadja Christen
Selected as one of two head interns for 2013, Nadja hails from Switzerland. She has a Masters in Research and had previously worked with turtles in Costa Rica. Combined with her multi-lingual skills, Nadja came well equipped to head the turtle project.
Conscientious, smart and well-versed in conservation issues, Nadja has been providing supervision and support to undergraduate students conducting their own research.
Raul Garcia
Raul’s passion for turtle conservation was obvious from the minute he set foot on base in 2012, as part of a visiting group of the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) research assistants. He returned later in the season to assist with excavations, and he was a perfect skills match with Nadja.
Whether providing basic weekly Spanish classes on base, and assisting with environmental education at the local primary school, Raul is a charismatic people-person.
2013 Assistant Management Intern - Shea Gibbs
Shea graduated in 2010 with his B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Rhode Island. At the University he was exposed to different fieldwork techniques such as small mammal trapping, population mapping and comparative dissection. Since graduation he has worked seasonally at a local State Forest which has given him the opportunity to educate the public as to local environmental concerns, such as demonstrating clean camping techniques and invasive species control focused on the Asian Long-horned and Emerald Ash Borer Beetles.
While his job at the State Forest was rewarding in many ways it lacked the direct contact with wildlife that he was seeking. Aside from having to relocate the occasional snake or snapping turtle he didn’t get much hands-on time with these animals, which is what he’s really most passionate about.
Arriving March 15th 2013, Shea proved himself to be a diligent and dedicated individual who communicates and works well with others. We quickly realised that this was someone we wanted to stick around, and he was offered the Assistant Management Internship.
While Shea continues to get the hands on experience with turtles, he has also been trained to lead the mammal, caiman and plant phenology surveys. He provides monthly summaries of these studies and the shorebird surveys, as well as assisting with the myriad of jobs that make the station run. He soon became a competent boat driver, and has been a fantastic addition to our team. He will be working with us until mid-December 2013.
While his job at the State Forest was rewarding in many ways it lacked the direct contact with wildlife that he was seeking. Aside from having to relocate the occasional snake or snapping turtle he didn’t get much hands-on time with these animals, which is what he’s really most passionate about.
Arriving March 15th 2013, Shea proved himself to be a diligent and dedicated individual who communicates and works well with others. We quickly realised that this was someone we wanted to stick around, and he was offered the Assistant Management Internship.
While Shea continues to get the hands on experience with turtles, he has also been trained to lead the mammal, caiman and plant phenology surveys. He provides monthly summaries of these studies and the shorebird surveys, as well as assisting with the myriad of jobs that make the station run. He soon became a competent boat driver, and has been a fantastic addition to our team. He will be working with us until mid-December 2013.
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