// Same name, new direction.

In the past 9 months, so much has changed. I came back from an truly amazing study abroad experience with SEA where I learned so much about the oceans and myself and came away with a group of friends I hope to see a whole lot more of in the future. It was business as usual for awhile there; going to school, working, playing volleyball and settling back into the normalcy of everyday life. But during spring break, it all changed. 

I became an intern with COASST in the newly formed marine debris program, helping to develop procedures for citizen scientists to collect debris and the accompanying data. In April I became the Secretary for The Coastal Society at Oregon State University and even though we're in our infancy, the organization as a whole isn't, and it won't be long before we start gaining some ground and become a presence at OSU. In June I achieved my biggest accomplishment so far; I became the Beach and Highway Cleanup Coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation, Newport Chapter and since then have coordinated a number of beach cleanups and awareness events as well as made contacts with local people and businesses alike. With this position also comes the role of Zone Captain for Solve, which coordinates the Beach Captains for the big beach and riverside cleanups Solve hosts biannually. 

Needless to say, I am becoming a name in my field, marine debris. I have given presentations, hosted cleanups and personally surveyed and sampling beaches along Oregon's coast. I am proud of the work I am doing, and so I've decided to transform this blog into a place where I can advocate for change and raise awareness about issues that are so near and dear to my heart, such as microplastic debris. I invite all to be skeptical and ask the hard questions about any issue I raise. Keep being curious and if you have any questions please post them in the comments below!