Exit Interview Quetions

(1) What is your essential question? What is the best answer to your question and why? My essential question is what is the best way to reintroduce a marine animal? My best answer is my third answer which is to release them in a region formerly occupied by the same species. The reason why this is my best answer is because what my research has shown me is that the process that makes them learn their environment is not nearly as important as the pre-reintroduction screening.I say that this method is more effective just because it is more cost effective and less time consuming than the first, it is safer for the animal because of the lack of environmental hazards prereintroduction, and it is the best because the animals were made to survive in the environment that you are reintroducing them to and with this form of reintroduction you can focus on a whole population rather than one animal at a time,in the words of Mike Schaadt from the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, "It doesn't matter if the individual survives, it depends on the population, that is where the success lies." (2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer? The process I took to answer this was doing much research not on just the reintroduction of marine animals, but the reintroduction of any animals and i took that information and applied it to marine life as many scientists have before. I also had research on previous reintroduction efforts of various sources such as our very own NAVY who was using a part of the AZA's guide to reintroduction with their own twist to reintroduce dolphins. I also had very useful interviews with various scientists, but especially helpful was Mike Schaadt whom I had a 45 min long interview with where his experience with reintroduction really came to light. (3) What problems did you face? How did you resolve them? In my project the biggest problems were that I couldn't find any mentors to do hours with and the fact that my science fair project died. Finding a mentor was one of the hardest things I have had to do. To find this mentor I had tried many places and people all of which denied me studying under them. Countless aquaria, programs, mission programs, rescues, and even professors had turned me down through Emails and phone calls. It seemed everyone was on edge for one reason or another mainly that the fall semester had started and school somehow affected everything I could ever try. Then one day tired of trying and very hopeless, I tried a very unprofessional approach and asked the 'Ask A Marine Biologist' section if I could have a mentorship opportunity and Mike Schaadt answered this call saving my entire senior project. My science fair project was probably the most frustrating thing i will ever do in my life. My supervisor and mentor Andres Carrillo had told me that their were ways which could induce strobilation in polyps of jellyfish. With my research still being for marine biology in general and not coming up wit my present EQ I was going to test what the effects of ocean acidification were on Aurelia aurita from the stage of polyp to ephyra. I should start by saying I started this project in late December. I had created different pH waters using 4M HCl (hydrochloric acid) and actual ocean water on a Monday of my winter break. I had cared for these jellyfish for months, feeding them and cleaning them and every couple of weeks they would show signs of strobilation but then regress. I would come to my mentorship with hope expecting them to be ephyra but instead they stood polyps. One week they showed a dark purple coloration which was a sure fire way of telling that their about to strobilate. When I came back I had been informed that a man came to change the handles on all of the doors and knocked the water out to let the polyps die. I solved this by informing Pittman and getting a recommendation. Another problem that I had which was more of an ongoing struggle was finding research. Since reintroduction as a field is still in its infancy stage there was little to no research on it, but the fact that it was still an emerging field was a privilege I will always feel. I dealt with this by researching deeper. (4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why? My two most significant sources are the AZA Guidelines to Reintroduction and Mike Schaddt, director of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. The AZA guide showed me the specific needs to be met by all animals whether marine or not, with good reasoning behind their rules I decided to apply these to all of my answers to see if they all fit the correct rules. My second biggest source was Mike Schaadt who answered all of the questions I had after research with in depth answers that gave me a huge insight to reintroducing animals. (5) What is your product and why? My product is that as of now I can engage in a scientific conversation with people about the affects of habitats on animals or just in general with my experience in mentorship. Another product I now have is the lasting knowledge of doing an experiment submittal where I had to come up with research,equipment lists, why you wan to try the experiment, the sciencebehind your project, a detailed instruction of how to perform the experiment, and I also learned how to speak professionally in a scientific environment especially when the jargon is absolutely necessary.