MISS Intern Reflections: Pia Ronquillo-See

Being a summer intern for MISS was one of the most fun learning experiences of my life!

Jasmin, Norah, and Christie not only taught me about shark conservation, they also enriched my experience of being in the field of marine biology. It was absolutely empowering and inspiring to work with intelligent, funny, and hardworking women of color. Despite being a newbie to shark science, I never felt judged or dismissed - it was quite the opposite because I was encouraged and supported every step of the way!

I gained new skills on working on a boat, handling sharks, processing samples, learning about Florida ecology, teaching shark conservation, and I really enjoyed my summer because of this internship. We even got to attend our first scientific conference, which was a great opportunity. MISS is a wonderful community of people and it makes me so proud to be part of it. I hope that many members all over the world can sign up for these opportunities with MISS and have an awesome experience like I did!