Into The Sea of Cortez: Then, Now, and the In Between. Part 3
Yes, the last post before we jump into the meat of this little endeavor. Lets skip ahead fifteen years so I can explain where I am now, and put a little perspective on just why the heck I’ve decides to write all this.
In the end, melding science and photography with a little splash of English-minor turned out to be a pretty good combo. Since my graduation, I’ve worked in molecular epidemiology, cancer biology, microbial pathogenesis, high throughput genomics and aquaculture diagnostics. Heck, I’ve even taught high school, become a scuba instructor, and started a fish farm. I’ve also completed a Master’s in Applied Biosciences, and recently completed a Graduate program in Entrepreneurship at the McGuire school. As an offshoot of the entrepreneurship program I’ve now launched a molecular diagnostics company. All this in fifteen years you say? Yes, I’m flakey and easily bored so when I start to get good at something, I typically become uninterested, quit, and move on.
The path after graduation has taken many twists. Throughout, a continuous source of interest and inspiration has been with the ocean and the Sea of Cortez. Every time I am able to slip under the surface of the Sea of Cortez, it feels like a homecoming or visiting an old friend. The underwater topography and species mix is unlike any other in the world. There is a certain soothing feeling that comes from knowing a region so well, mixed with an excited anticipation, from the fact that what I do know is dwarfed by what I do not. This region is still largely unexplored and many species exist only within the relatively small confines of this sea.
So now, to some extent I have come full circle. The Sea of Cortez and those that have studied and protected her have given me so much, now I feel I can give something to those that are embarking on their own exploration of this region. It started with a couple of (still largely unfinished and sometimes cheesy) websites with some travel info about Baja and San Carlos, but my major undertaking is the SeaCortez site. At SeaCortez, I’m hoping to promote an understanding of the unique natural history and ecology of the Sea of Cortez, as well as to promote responsible utilization of the region. I truly feel that the more people can come to understand something as special and fragile as the Sea of Cortez the more likely they will be to protect this desert sea. A part of this project will be looking back at the changes that have occurred in the Sea of Cortez, and at the changes in myself and those around me that have been inspired by the Sea. I hope that by examining some highlights of my earlier field notebooks I can share with others the wonder and sense of discovery that can be found in these waters and to inform and inspire others to make their own treks into the vermilion sea.
In the end, melding science and photography with a little splash of English-minor turned out to be a pretty good combo. Since my graduation, I’ve worked in molecular epidemiology, cancer biology, microbial pathogenesis, high throughput genomics and aquaculture diagnostics. Heck, I’ve even taught high school, become a scuba instructor, and started a fish farm. I’ve also completed a Master’s in Applied Biosciences, and recently completed a Graduate program in Entrepreneurship at the McGuire school. As an offshoot of the entrepreneurship program I’ve now launched a molecular diagnostics company. All this in fifteen years you say? Yes, I’m flakey and easily bored so when I start to get good at something, I typically become uninterested, quit, and move on.
The path after graduation has taken many twists. Throughout, a continuous source of interest and inspiration has been with the ocean and the Sea of Cortez. Every time I am able to slip under the surface of the Sea of Cortez, it feels like a homecoming or visiting an old friend. The underwater topography and species mix is unlike any other in the world. There is a certain soothing feeling that comes from knowing a region so well, mixed with an excited anticipation, from the fact that what I do know is dwarfed by what I do not. This region is still largely unexplored and many species exist only within the relatively small confines of this sea.
So now, to some extent I have come full circle. The Sea of Cortez and those that have studied and protected her have given me so much, now I feel I can give something to those that are embarking on their own exploration of this region. It started with a couple of (still largely unfinished and sometimes cheesy) websites with some travel info about Baja and San Carlos, but my major undertaking is the SeaCortez site. At SeaCortez, I’m hoping to promote an understanding of the unique natural history and ecology of the Sea of Cortez, as well as to promote responsible utilization of the region. I truly feel that the more people can come to understand something as special and fragile as the Sea of Cortez the more likely they will be to protect this desert sea. A part of this project will be looking back at the changes that have occurred in the Sea of Cortez, and at the changes in myself and those around me that have been inspired by the Sea. I hope that by examining some highlights of my earlier field notebooks I can share with others the wonder and sense of discovery that can be found in these waters and to inform and inspire others to make their own treks into the vermilion sea.
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