October Volunteer Spotlight: Dick Clement
The first thing you will notice about Marine Discovery Center volunteer Dick Clement is the sparkle in his eye, the spring in his step and the ageless energy of this smiling octogenarian. The 6-foot-1 New Englander moved to Port Orange, Fla., last December and quickly...
September Volunteer Spotlight: Fielding Cooley
Fielding Cooley has worn many hats over the years along the way of his extremely diverse career path – including helping develop early protocols for organic farming in California, operating an Oregon sheep ranch, writing grants for childcare centers, setting up...
August Volunteer Spotlight: Verania Sosa
Verania Sosa is a senior at Stetson University. She began her internship for academic credit at the Marine Discovery Center in May as an assistant aquarist/educator. She helps maintain and enhance aquaria and exhibits, while also assisting in MDC’s marine science...
Crab Trap BRDs Help Prevent Diamondback Terrapin Deaths
By Lisa D. Mickey Whether you have crab traps for personal, recreational or commercial use, the state of Florida wants you to add a small device to your traps to help protect diamondback terrapins. The devices are called Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) and can be...
July Volunteer Spotlight: Katy Dolan
Katy Dolan has volunteered at the Marine Discovery Center’s Welcome Center desk since 2013. A native of Hungary, Katy enjoys meeting guests at the center from around the world and from throughout the United States. She can speak or understand five languages and as an...
New Smyrna MEC Records Salt-Marsh Milestone
by Lisa D. Mickey Earlier this year, the restored salt marsh at the Marine Discovery Center (MDC) in New Smyrna Beach recorded an important milestone. The on-site Mosquito Lagoon Marine Enhancement Center (MEC), a partnership between the Florida Fish and Wildlife...
June Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Engelman
Native New Englander Susan Engelman first rolled up her sleeves to volunteer at the Marine Discovery Center in 2017 after retiring and relocating to Florida. She went from treating cancer patients as a radiation therapist in the Boston area to building oyster bags,...
May Volunteer Spotlight: Stephanie Schmidt
You may see Marine Discovery Center intern Stephanie Schmidt pushing large barrels of salt water to the exhibition area or caring for the animals that reside in the tanks. Stephanie learned at the elbow of former MDC aquarist Charity Jackson and has had to step up...
April Volunteer Spotlight: Diane Yeaton
Diane Yeaton is one of the most veteran volunteers at the Marine Discovery Center, and the New Englander has been instrumental in the center’s growth, starting back in the early 2000s.Whether she was answering telephones at the center, leading fundraising efforts or...
MDC Plays Host To Partners In Microplastics Research Project
By Lisa D. Mickey The Marine Discovery Center’s Learning Lab was a busy place in January during a four-day microbial analysis workshop that hosted scientists from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, as well as from the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic...
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