Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary welcomed Charlie Azzarito, a Hollings Scholar from Florida State University, for the summer. Charlie is spending his time in Alpena at the sanctuary, which awards between 100 to 200 students each year. To be eligible for the scholarship, students apply during their sophomore year and receive financial assistance for their junior and senior years. In addition to this, they have the opportunity to intern with NOAA.
Charlie expressed his excitement about his upcoming internship and mentioned that many of his friends are working in different locations across the country, including U.S territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. He is currently working on a project called the Freshwater Acidification Project at the sanctuary. The project aims to monitor levels of acidity, conductivity, temperature, and other factors in Lake Huron. This study is an extension of NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program, which focuses on monitoring levels and temperature changes in the ocean. Charlie stated that this project is unique as it’s the first study of its kind in freshwater bodies of water within the Great Lakes region. The team hopes to expand this project to other sanctuaries in the Great Lakes area in the future. Charlie is thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking research and contribute to our understanding of freshwater ecosystems.
