Senior Project Reflection

1. Positive Statement
1. I'm most proud of my mentorship at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, because I felt like it really prepared my for my 2-hour. All of the information I used in my 2-hour from my mentorship was really effective in getting my points across.
2. Questions to Consider
1. I would give myself an AP+ because I missed a few of my deadlines on components and I repeated myself a lot in my presentation.
2. Overall, I would give my senior project an AP as well, because I didn't give it my all throughout the year, and didn't meet a lot of deadlines.
3. What Worked
1. My mentorship worked, because it was a really good foundation for what I want to study in college, and everybody there has agreed to keep helping me whenever I need it.
4. What Didn't Work
1. I would have gotten mentorship a lot sooner than I did. I spent my first three months not knowing where I could get mentorship, and I didn't even know what i wanted to do for my senior project.
5. Finding Value
1. My senior project has given me a firm foundation to becoming an environmental scientist/attorney. With my mentorship, for instance, I learned a lot about the various effects that oil and contaminated ground water has on certain types of fish.

Young Scientists Symposium

So, a while ago, Elijah and I got the privilege of speaking at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium's Young Scientists Symposium.
The aquarium asked its young researchers to speak in front of the aquarium's sponsors, and fellow scientists, about a research project that they did. I spoke about the difference in the amount of zooplankton found in the LA harbor, versus the amount of zooplankton found in the Cabrillo outer beach.Speaking at the symposium was a HUGE honor, because the staff felt like our projects were good enough to present to the people that funded the aquarium, and I felt really lucky that they asked me to speak.

This is a picture of me, and a few other researchers in the Aquatic Nursery.

This is a link of the powerpoint I used for my presentation.
YSS Presentation

Blog 25: Mentorship

Literal

• Mentorship Log
• Cabrillo Marine Aquarium–3720 Stephen M White Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90731 (310) 548-7562

Interpretive

• The most important thing that I gained from my mentorship at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is an abundance of knowledge on various marine animals, and I acquired certain skills throughout my time spent there. Some of the knowledge that I gained, was learning about hydromedusas, and how they are not related to jellyfish, despite their similar looks. I also learned about the various types of zooplankton, such as arthropods, rotifers, copepods, amphipods, etc. A few of the skills that I gained, are setting up simple flow tanks, and learning how to transfer fish from tank to tank. One of the coolest things I learned is how to make a swell shark fall asleep by turning it over in the water, and rubbing the side of its belly. The aquarium has prepared me to further my study of marine biology, and has given me a strong foundation.

Applied

• Doing plankton-tows in the boat launch has helped me answer my EQ by showing me the anthropogenic effects that gasoline, and other petroleum based chemicals have on the water quality. I compared the Ph levels of the constant ocean Ph level, 8.1-8.4, to the Ph levels of the boat launch water, and there was a .6 difference in the Ph levels. This just showed me how significant the impact that we're having on the ocean is, and guided me to research different clean-up methods, and possible effects.

Blog 24: Exit Interview Questions

(1) What is your essential question?  What is the best answer to your question and why?

•  My essential question is: How can scientists effectively reduce the anthropogenic effects dealt to the ocean? My best answer to this question is to put a cap limit on the amount of pollutants that we allow into the ocean, because this solution will have the most beneficial results in the end. By putting a cap limit on the amount of pollutants manufactured, there will be a decrease in the amount of pollutants that are put into the ocean.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• I received my initial answer from my mentor, Kiersten Darrow, and then I later researched all the types of regulations that have been implemented to reduce the amount of coastal pollution going into the ocean.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• One of the biggest problems I faced was finding research on coastal runoff, but after specifying my search to "Coastal runoff regulations" from "Coastal pollution levels", I was able to find better research on the regulations being implemented.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• One of the most significant sources I used to answer my EQ, was my mentor, Kiersten Darrow, because she would always give me examples in her answers whenever I asked her my essential question. She would spew out a variety of related facts and other resources I could use to help further my research,
  My second best source was a book called Killing Our Oceans by John Kunich, because it explained the few legislation that have been passed to help protect marine waters, but how ineffective these legislation are.

(5) What is your product and why?

• I have not yet come up with a product for my senior project.

Blog 23: 2014 Interview

1. Yesenia Martin
2.She wants to do something with business/sales, because that's what her father does and it interests her.
3. She'll work with her dad for her 10 hour summer mentorship.
4. In the 2-Hour presentations,she wants to see ideas that could possibly help her with her senior project, and information on varying subjects.
5. She asked me if her choice in studying business/sales had to be specified towards a single type of business, and I told her most likely, because studying business is a general area.

Blog 23: 3 Column Chart

3 Column Chart

Feeding My Octopus!

So, I decided to share my experiences with feeding my two-spotted octopus at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

This is Hercules, the octopus. In this picture, he's eating a pretty big shore crab that was about 6 inches in diameter. The crab was a sad opponent for this Octopus Bimaculoides.

If you look close enough, you can see the legs of the crab... inside the octopus' mouth.

Blog 21: Independent Component 2

Literal

• I, Eric Reynolds, affirm that I have completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.
• The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium has allowed me to continue to volunteer, and has me doing a variety of things that increase my knowledge of marine biology.
• Log (incomplete)
• I completed an extra 45 hours of mentorship with the CMA. 

Interpretive

• I spent a majority of my hours feeding and taking care of the octopus. Ever since I started volunteering at CMA, I immediately fell in love with the octopus. Feeding the octopus takes about 20 minutes for each octopus, and there are a total of 10. I also go out into the rocks and catch crabs to feed the octopus. This takes about 45 minutes.
• 
  

Applied

• The component helped my support my answer of monitoring the levels of pollution more precisely, because all the time I spent out on the rocks, I noticed a lot of pollution going into the water from sea-doos, boats, and people just littering. I feel like if there were people out on the rocks to regulate this type of pollution, we could increase the health of the boat launch water.

Blog 20: Three Column Chart

3 Column Chart

Blog 19: Senior Project and ESLRs

1. I think I have excelled the most in the "Effective Learner" ESLR.
2. One of the subsets for "Effective Learner" is "expresses personal creativity". At the aquarium I volunteer at, I'm always trying to find out different ways to help the aquarium, or introduce something new. A while ago, I conducted a plankton-tow for science fair, and I found a mysterious hydromedusa in my water. The aquarists hadn't seen anything like it before and told me that I could possibly raise it. I like to explore the beach on my own to see if I can find anything interesting, and in the past week, Elijah and I have managed to save the aquariums wolf eel population. We were collecting crabs for the octopus, and I was being curious and discovered a colony of pregnant ghost shrimp, ideal food for the wolf eel eggs. The aquarium was very thankful for what we had done, and I felt proud of myself for saving the wolf eels.
3. This is a picture of a sea hare that I found while exploring the tide pools. 

Blog 18: 2-Hour Meeting Answer 3

1. EQ- How can scientists effectively reduce the anthropogenic effects dealt to the ocean?
2. To reduce the anthropogenic activity being dealt to the ocean, the government needs to create better legislation on boating and dumping regulations.
3. According to Scripps Institute of Oceanography, anthropogenic activity has caused a huge increase in salinity levels, which is very important when it comes to the circulation of water.
4. Insidescience.org
5. I plan on studying the other types of effects that we're having on the ocean, and seeing if there is any regulation against them.

Fourth Interview Questions

1. How can scientists effectively reduce the anthropogenic activity being dealt to the ocean?
2. How do you think the current legislation(UNCLOS etc) is protecting the marine environment?
3. What is the worst type of pollution that's entering the ocean?
4. Would it be beneficial to turn the entire biosphere into an MPA?
5. How much pollution, is too much pollution?
6. How can scientists monitor the levels of pollution more efficiently?
7. Is it possible to regulate the amount of pollution that's being allowed into the ocean?
8. What are some of the best ways that scientists are currently countering the effects of pollution?
9. Numerous species have become endangered due to the pollution levels, why is it that nobody is regulating pollution?
10. Do certain ecosystems have higher or lower tolerances to certain types of pollution?
11. In what ways can regular citizens help the fight against pollution?
12. In what other ways, besides pollution, are humans harming the ocean?
13. What measures have been taken when it comes to over-fishing?
14. It has been said that run-off, and mining pollutants cause the most harm to the marine environment, do you agree?
15. What's the best way to inform people about the effects that pollution has on the ocean?
16. What are the laws against oil tankers and tanks?
17. How is plastic harmful to the ocean?
18. Which do oil spills hurt more, humans or the animals?
19. What are some animals that contribute to the ocean's pollution?
20. How can oil spills be prevented?

Blog 16: 2-Hour Meeting Answer #2

1. EQ- How can scientists effective reduce the anthropogenic activity dealt to the ocean?
2. "The best way to reduce the amount of pollution we allow into the ocean is monitoring. Without information, what can we improve?" - Andres Carrillo
3. 
   This graph shows the average number of trash items counted for several years along a popular 7-mile stretch of Mustang Island Gulf Beach, Texas. Beverage cans are single drink containers and include plastic bottles; chemical containers are 5-gallon pails and drums of chemicals; green bottles are bleach bottles from Mexico (common on Texas beaches); egg cartons and milk jugs are standard grocery items.
   A lot of medical waste and other floatable debris were constantly coming ashore in New York and New Jersey, so the Medical Waste Tracking Act was passed in 1988.
   If the levels of pollution that enter the ocean are most closely monitored, then we would be able to see when the levels were getting out of hand, and then do something about it.
4. The NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)
5. I plan to continue my study of answer 2 by researching the current measures we're taking to monitor the levels of pollution, and the type of pollutants that are being found more often.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

• Literal
• I, Eric Reynolds, affirm that I have completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.
• I completed these 30 hours at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, CA.
• 3720 Stephen M White Dr  San Pedro, CA 90731
  (310) 548-7562
• Mentorship Log
• I did various tasks ranging from installing tanks and transferring fish from tank to tank, to taking Southgate students to the tide pools to help them find things. I have never done so much fun work before. The aquarium has broadened my knowledge on marine life, and how to preserve it.
• Interpretive
• Well, I've spent over 30 hours at the aquarium, doing various tasks. Whether it was me leading a group of Southgate middle school kids on a trip to the tide pools, or transferring fish from tank to tank, all of my tasks add up to over 30 hours.
• Applied
• It helped me answer my EQ, because I was always around Kiersten Darrow, and she's one of the most knowledgeable people I know when it comes to science. Being around her, and just listening to her speak, is what helped me answer my EQ. She's my biggest resource, and soon, she's going to help me figure out different projects that I can do to further my studies.

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Plan Approval

1. Well, yesterday when I was doing mentorship at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, I found a new type of species of hydromedusa. For my second independent component, I plan on raising the hydromedusa from its ephyra stage, to its medusa stage.
2. I believe that my plan will meet the 30 hour requirement, because I will have to clean the tank, feed it, and study the hydromedusa until it reaches adulthood. This process will take a little longer than 30 hours though.
3. I found the hydromedusa in the boat launch, where there is a lot of anthropogenic activity, and I want to see if the pollution hinders the hydromedusa's ability to grow normally.

Blog 13: 30 Minute Lesson Template

Blog 13: 30 Minute Lesson Template

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

1. How can scientists effectively counter the anthropogenic effects dealt to the ocean?
2. How much pollution, is too much pollution?
3. What is the worst type of pollution?
4. Do certain ecoregions have a higher tolerance to pollutants? If so, which ones?
5. Which type of pollution causes the most harm to marine life?
6. Why don't world leaders put a cap on the amount of pollutants allowed to be distributed?
7. How can scientists monitor the levels of pollution more efficiently?
8. Have you noticed a change in the amount of pollution going into the ocean?
9. At what level is the damage pollution is doing, "reasonable"?
10. What would you do to change the approach on pollution?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours Check

1.  I am doing my mentorship at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.
2.  My contact is Chris Bautista. (Will provide information later.)
3. I have done a total of 42 hours at the aquarium, and 6 hours at the Bolsa Chica Conservancy which gives me a total of 48 hours done.
4. The first 10 hours that I did at the aquarium consisted of me bleaching and installing new tanks for a school of baby bay pipefish. I then learned how to siphon the waste from the tanks into a bin, and I learned how to feed the animals. The next time I went, I did a plankton-tow, which is when you have a mesh-net connected to a small bottle and you drag through the water to collect plankton to feed the animals.