Anna Sheehan Interactive Portfolio
The NY Harbor Sea, Estuary, Air, and Land’s (SEALs) purpose is to bring together student civic scientists to monitor the health of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, engage the public on the significance of environmental protection, communicate with the maritime industry on upholding and improving policies, and assist in the restoration of the harbor seal to New York City. The Rip-Rap project, a data collection and environmental remediation procedure is an ongoing effort for Harbor SEALs. The project's purpose is to develop data-driven knowledge of the debris that washes ashore on the rocky coast of Governors Island, an island located in the Upper New York Bay beneath Manhattan, where the NY Harbor School is based. As a Quality Assurance Officer and Project Manager of the Data Analysis Team, I work to interpret and analyze the debris collected. In the field I lead a team to sort, measure, and record marine debris compiled. In the lab I digitize, work toward better understanding the source of the debris, and analyze the percentile of materials in each category.
I interned at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, where I studied carbon and methane release and storage in Piermont Marsh with a team. I thoroughly researched wetlands, carbon, methane, vegetation, and a variety of other topics. I completed pore water sampling, gas chromatography, coring, LOI (loss on ignition, and bacteria sequencing. After analyzing samples, I presented to scientists and other interns about my research.
As the Lab Technician within the Marine Biology Research Program’s Laboratory at the NY Harbor School my duties included preparing field or lab sampling gear as well as supporting volunteers and students. I worked to assist the maintenance of the six RAS systems within the lab by fixing water and air pumps, adjusting pH and other physical-chemical parameters, and attending to the health needs of various aquatic animals. I sustained digital lab logs as well as improved and installed software.
I received a full-ride scholarship to participate in the SEA Education Association’s four-week Science at SEA program, Massachusetts. The first two weeks were spent on shore on SEAs Woodshole campus where I learned about the correlation between the ocean and society, was introduced to various aquatic species, and prefaced nautical science. For the remaining two weeks, I was a crew member aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, a scientific research vessel. Each day entailed 6-hour watches that required me to aid the deployment of scientific equipment, analyze samples, do daily chores, and collaborate with the rest of the crew to maintain and navigate the vessel. The data collected contributed to a 50-year-old cumulative database that provides monitoring of protected marine areas, and included biodiversity information, ocean temperature and salinity readings, sediment and water samples, animal and vessel behaviors.
I was one of 50 young women selected to participate in the GOALS for Girls 2019 six-week summer intensive program at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. Through the program I collaberated with numerous professionals who I had the privilege of speaking to about there journeys as successful women in STEM. I gained a basic overview of various STEM subjects and careers such as: aerospace, aviation, astronomy, environmental science, psychology, engineering, technology, coding, toxicology, and medical sciences.
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