LagoonFest as a whole, was a big part of my internship, and one of the most fun parts. I was able to interact with the public and get them interested in science. It is often hard to find outlets that allow you to educate the public about science in a fun way, and LagoonFest was definitely a great outlet for this.

Overall, I experienced a lot of firsts on this expedition. This was my first trip to the Florida keys and my first time ever being able to witness some amazing marine species, like Caribbean reef squid and spotted eagle rays, in their natural habitat. Experiences like this are extremely humbling. To me, it is a reminder that we, as a collective group, are working towards conserving these animals and the environments they live in.