Mentors
Marina Halverson knew from a young age that she wanted to study the ocean even though she grew up in landlocked Minnesota. She took as many aquatic science electives as possible (plankton biology, ichthyology, lake ecology) while working toward a B.S. in Biology from the University of Minnesota – Duluth. The following year she moved to Hawaii to pursue an M.S. in Biological Oceanography at the University of Hawaii. During her time at UH, she enjoyed researching marine microbes at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology but discovered a real passion for teaching during her time as a teaching assistant. Since 2013 she has been on the faculty at Seattle Central College teaching oceanography, marine biology, and general biology. Some favorite hobbies are tidepooling, beachcombing, and hiking on the Olympic Peninsula.
Dana Vukajlovich had the chance to go to sea as a college student and found a passion for oceanography and research at sea. She studied geochemistry at Caltech for her Bachelor’s degree and went on to Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD for her Master’s degree in oceanography. Her scientific interests include isotope geochemistry, volcanology, and paleoclimatology. After getting her master’s degree, she worked in multiple science outreach and informal education programs, including summer camps, science museums, a college-at-sea program, and non-profit environmental groups. Since 2015, she is on the faculty at Bellevue College, where she teaches oceanography and geology and serves as department chair for the Earth and Space Sciences program. She is excited to be involved in getting more students the opportunity to experience research at sea through STEMSEAS.
Miguel Moravec attended STEMSEAS as a program participant in 2016 aboard the R/V Sikuliaq and is excited to return as a mentor to discuss careers and research opportunities at sea!
Miguel is currently a PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University. His academic interests include leveraging data analytics to better inform climate and energy policy, especially as it relates to the maritime domain.
In his free time, Miguel is an avid sailor who enjoys generating his own maritime data points while competing in long-distance offshore sailboat races. Miguel is also proud of his previous work writing tweets and articles as a science communicator for U.S. EPA’s Chemical National Research Program.
CaT Bobino is a STEM Ambassador with a Master’s degree in Biology. With her work on various television stations and special programs, in the community, and throughout many speaking engagements, CaT Bobino is spreading the knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Ms. Bobino has been featured on the show Genius with Stephen Hawking. She has also written, directed, and stared in programs for KQED. Currently, Ms. Bobino produces a weekly podcast where she interviews diverse people in STEM as a way of showcasing the different opportunities that are out there for students. She has also organized trips to various STEM centers, has been a guest speaker for numerous organizations, and is the author of In The Know: Setting Up Your Child For A STEM Career. She is a biologist, teacher, speaker, host, and is currently working on her own business and nonprofit. With a background in science, CaT Bobino also helps with creating and implementing science programs and opportunities for Bay Area youth. CaT Bobino is diversifying and demystifying STEM.
CaT Bobino is diversifying and demystifying STEM through her consulting business, In The Know Consulting, LLC. In The Know Consulting offers presentations to parents, teachers, and students on the importance of a STEM education as well as identifying key players within these fields. Each presentation leaves the audience with inquiries about STEM as well as a better understanding of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that schools must implement. She also promotes awareness, provides networking opportunities, and utilizes media to engage everyday people into the lives of STEM professionals. With experience in K-12 and undergraduate education, networking, mentoring, and media, In The Know Consulting is providing materials that are leading our next generation into the STEM world.
Students
My name is Ciara Benson and I’m a student at Seattle Central College. I’m currently pursuing an Associates of Science and plan to transfer to the University of Washington to study Oceanography with a minor in Marine Biology. My long term goal is to graduate with a masters degree in Maritime Archeology. Before college, I spent a year abroad traveling and learning from the world. My passion for all marine life came from my first diving experience at the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, Australia. The life that lives within our ocean is mesmerizing and beautiful and I’d love nothing more than to care and protect it as best as I can. I enjoy recreational diving as a hobby and hope to incorporate it into my career. At home I have a 2 year old son that loves water as much as I do. In our free time, we enjoy swimming, beach combing, nature hikes, and lots of puzzles. I’m excited for the opportunity to learn from life on a research vessel, and I can’t wait to meet people with a similar passion for the seas!
Emma Carlen is in her first year of working towards a Marine Biology Degree. I am currently taking my foundational courses at Seattle Central. My hope is to transfer to the University of Washington and study Marine Biology there. I have volunteered at the Seattle Aquarium for 2.5 years. I love learning about Marine Life, and am very much devoted to conservation. My husband and I recently adopted two bunnies named Cindy and Shylah.
Hi there! My name is Devin and I was born and raised in the Seattle area. I graduated a few years ago with a degree in Hospitality Management, but am in the process of switching careers to be involved in conservation and research. Even within the hospitality industry I was able to be a part of the conservation world when I worked at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. I’ve always loved animals and learning about the natural world so I am eager to dive in deeper and continue my studies in graduate school. This opportunity came up right when I started taking classes again and I am grateful to experience life at sea. When I’m not studying or working I’m busy backpacking, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, scuba diving, or at the beach playing with my dog.
My name is Stephanie Lopez, I am a first-generation college student. I am the first out of seven siblings to attend higher education! I am a sophomore and attend Bellevue College. I am still deciding on my major but, I recently found a passion for geology and I want to discover more about it on STEMSEAS cruise. This is a great opportunity for me to learn new things and get out of my comfort zone. My hobbies include hiking, video production, and cooking.
My name is Leilani Combs, I am currently and undergraduate at Seattle Central College, awaiting transfer to study Marine Biology at a four year university. I grew up in the ocean in San Diego. My mom had wanted to be a marine biologist and made sure to instill the same sense of love and wonder for the ocean in me growing up. During the summers I did junior lifeguards, instead of summer camp, and spent every spare moment at the beach. As an older teen I had moved to landlocked Iowa and lost my connection to the Pacific for a while. I spent most of my early adulthood traveling the U.S. satisfying a need for adventure until I eventually took a job as a whitewater rafting guide in Leavenworth, WA. That experience helped to reconnect me with my love for water. As well as an unexpected love for the salmon who spawned there, that lead me to follow them where all where all rivers eventually lead, back to the ocean.
My intentions for the future are to complete my undergraduate in Marine biology at the University of Washington so that I can study relationships between Pacific Northwest salmon and their mammal predators. My hope is to help find ethical solutions to restoring the food web.
I am John Maher, a sophomore at Bellevue College going for an associate degree. Computer science is my target major for when I transfer next year. Although STEM awareness and environmental science are two things I have been involved with in the past few years, both of which I want to continue with. STEMSEAS sounds intriguing with its involvement in data analysis, science communication, and a plethora of Earth science tasks. Most importantly, meeting others on their separate journey with their own reasons for participating in this trip is great. My hobbies are long-distance running and grappling sports, like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling.
My name is Jess Barnes, and I’m a freshman at Bellevue College pursuing a transferable associate’s degree with the future goal of traveling the world to teach English as a foreign language. Since I was young, I’ve had a great interest in traveling the world and learning what I can about the beautiful and diverse cultures that surround me. I’m incredibly passionate about learning in a variety of ways outside a classroom, and I place especially great value in experiential learning. STEMSEAS gives me a wonderful opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and discover new things not directly related to my own personal career goals. Saying yes to unique opportunities is the best way to grow! In my free time I love reading, watching movies, and taking care of all my pets (including two birds, two reptiles, two frogs, two cats, and a dog).
Hi, my name is Zak and I’m a second-year student at North Seattle College. I’m working towards an AS and hope to transfer to UW for the next school year to major in Biology. This past year I was able to participate in an undergrad research course which allowed me to get a feel of what doing research is like. This intrigued me so I joined STEMSEAS to get a better understanding of what it’s like to conduct field research. I’m very excited to be aboard the R/V Thomas G. Thompson and learn about what the crew and researchers do. During my free time I like to mountain bike, run, and hike.
My name is Chau, and I am a student at Seattle Central Community College. I have a BA in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts from the University of Washington, and I am currently taking prerequisite classes to apply to pharmacy school for medicinal chemistry. I’m excited to use my laboratory experiences for field research and discover more about oceanography and geology. Aside from the arts and sciences, I also have a passion for reading, music, and noodle-related foods.
Victoria DeLong
Hi, my name is Erik Choi and I’m in my second year attending North Seattle College. I also work at ROOTS, a young adult shelter full time. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing, cooking, and chess. When I was younger, I always had a fascination with the ocean. Living in Florida gave me unrestricted access to the beach, and I remember fond memories of wading neck deep into the depths.
Gracie Ochoa
Hi!! My name is Trinity Trahan and I’m on my second year at Bellevue college. I was born and raised in Issaquah WA, but I would visit Seattle regularly growing up. I’m hoping this next year I’ll be able to transfer to the University of Washington in Tacoma to further pursue my new found dream of becoming some type of lab and research technician or toxicologist! If you asked me what I wanted to do with my life a year ago, I would have said something within the medical field. However, after a year of taking science as an elective, I’ve started to consider science as a career path. STEMSEAS gives me the opportunity to understand and further solidify my passion through a once in a life time experience, and for that, I’m super grateful! On my free time I like to hangout with friends, read manga, and go on hikes around my area.
