Week 5: UWF - Courtney Collins

Photo by: Dr. Joshua Voss
Bahia Honda State Park
Big Pine Key, FL 

Our last week of this course was spent at the University of West Florida (UWF) in Pensacola. Similarly to other weeks we spent a large portion of time learning about the local coastal environment. What made this week unique was that we ventured into the local watershed heading upstream to freshwater creeks to understand what causes the water quality issues we have discussed throughout this course. This gave me a whole new meaning to runoff. Prior to this week when I heard runoff I thought of large farms and factories causing issues but never considered apartment complexes or neighborhoods to have a large impact like they do. Dr. Caffrey and Barbara Albrecht did an amazing job at pushing all of us out of our "only saltwater" mindset to allow us to understand why the coastal areas we all love so much are suffering. Throughout this course I have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful and passionate members of the marine biology community like Barbara Albrecht as well as guest professors like Dr. Frank Gilliam at UWF, Dr. Melissa May at FGCU, and Dr. James Gelsleichter at UNF. 

For me this was the final course I would take before graduating from UWF with a degree in Marine Biology and found that this course really solidified what so many of my professors had told me in class. "This is important you'll use this in the future and need to know this!" and at times I will admit it was difficult to see but throughout this course I have referred back to notes, handouts, even powerpoint slides from class I had previously taken. With that being said I enjoyed how this course compiled so much of what I have learned in my undergraduate degree. Demonstrating how they are all intertwined, equally important, and the importance of collaboration. 

I am sad to see this course come to an end but am excited for what the future holds and eager to see how what I have learned in this course will continue to help me achieve my goals in the future! 

Lastly, here are a few of my favorite photos of just some of the friends I've made along the way!

Photo by: Barbara Albrecht
Gulf Island National Seashore 
Gulf Breeze, FL

Photo by: Hannah Schwaiger
Vester Marine Field Station
Bonita Springs, FL

Photo by: Courtney Collins 
Barbara Albrecht "The Butterfly Whisperer"
Walnut Hill, FL 

Photo by: Courtney Collins 
Kayley McDowell, Lexy Gabos, and Courtney Collins 
aboard the R/V Weatherbird II 

Photo by: Courtney Collins 
Flip Flop
at Navarre Sea Turtle Conservation Center
Navarre, FL

Photo by: Alyssa Cotten
Johnson Beach
Pensacola, FL 

Gabbie Nelson, Alyssa Cotten, and Courtney Collins
at the Florida Aquarium 
Tampa, FL