Katherine Tison

My name is Katherine Tison and I am a junior at the University of Florida studying marine science with minors in chemistry and UF Teach. I am a second-year NOYCE intern and first-year NOYCE peer mentor. I interned at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, my hometown, for the last two summers. Last year, I worked alongside marine biologists to take care of animals in the wetlands gallery in the husbandry department. My main focus was herpetology, and I worked most closely with Burmese pythons, alligators, and  crocodiles. I also gained tons of experience with a massive variety of other animals, including those such as spotted eagle rays and African penguins. This year, I joined the exhibit educator team. I worked at all of the touch tanks in the aquarium, including the Stingray Bay, Horseshoe Crab Lagoon, and No Bone Zone. Additionally, I spent much of my time tending to guests involved in the Dive with the Sharks and Swim with the Fish programs. My main goal was to portray information about the animals in the tanks in a tangible way for guests from all different backgrounds. I learned a ton from my experiences in an informal science learning institution!