Meet our 2018 Intern, Skyler!

My name is Skyler Klingshirn and I will be a senior at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio this upcoming fall. I am an environmental science major with minors in marine science and biology. In Spring 2017, I was able to complete a semester abroad at the Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort, NC. During this time, I took a course on the conservation and biology of sea turtles which sparked my interest in these beautiful animals. Through this course, I traveled to Puerto Rico where we did in water surveys of green sea turtles. We also went to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands to do night beach surveys of leatherback sea turtles where we were able to see a female leatherback lay her nest which was an amazing experience. Last summer I completed a research internship with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, Florida. I researched the virus that causes fibropapillomatosis, a disease that causes the growth of tumors in sea turtles. Through this internship, I learned a lot about research, genetics, and this disease all sea turtle species face. This summer I am super excited to be at Edisto Beach State Park to help out with loggerhead nesting surveys and also be able to help with educational programs to teach the public about sea turtles and how to help protect them.