The Highs and Lows of Conducting Research Underwater

By Nicole Eng

My mom always told me to find something I love and make a career out of it. I knew I enjoyed snorkeling after trying it a few times while on family vacations and I’ve been considering a career in research especially after I decided to major in biology. However, after spending the last week conducting research in the water surrounding Boca del Drago in Bocas del Toro, Panama, I realized that combining my personal and academic interests may not be as successful as I had imagined. 

            Conducting research anywhere is a challenge but conducting research under the water adds new obstacles that make it even more difficult. The biggest added challenge is that the researcher can’t talk while “out in the field.” He or she can’t confirm anything with his or her partner, ask his or her professor a question, or laugh without causing his or her mask to fill with water and then choke on the water that entered his or her snorkel, which was a frequent occurrence and serious problem for me. It’s also hard for the researcher to see anything under the water clearly, especially when his or her mask fills with water or fogs up and to find an item that was accidentally dropped in the water. Managing the current, incoming waves and floating in the same spot while breathing through the snorkel and making observations is also quite hard. Add to all that the fact that the ocean is extremely vast and quite uniform looking which makes finding the place you set up your experiment almost impossible. Even so, I think the sunburn I suffered from floating on my stomach for six hours a day without applying sunscreen that could damage the reef was arguably the worst part.

            However, even with all of the added challenges and downsides, I am so glad I had the opportunity to try out conducting research under the water. It was an experience I would have never gotten anywhere else and getting to witness the beauty and diversity of the coral reef was an experience I hope to never forget. Seeing stingrays, starfish, balloon fish, angelfish, parrotfish, and simply being able to watch fish interact with the coral reef were some of the highlights, especially after learning about them in the classroom. I have always been extremely curious about the world around me and it was that sense of curiosity that made me decide to major in biology. Getting to learn about coral reefs, an ecosystem I’ve already seen and enjoyed, was extremely satisfying for me. I now have a much better understanding of the various components of a coral reef, what a coral reef needs to survive, and threats current coral reefs face. Additionally, studying fish for a week was really interesting and a welcome change from studying plants, especially since I can picture myself using this newfound knowledge in the future far more so than I can picture using knowledge of plants. Overall, this Faculty Led Project shown me a whole new world of research opportunities I had never considered previously and exposed me to an ecosystem I had very limited knowledge of, both of which have been one of the most rewarding parts of my study abroad experience. And even if I didn’t find my calling, I did solidify my interest in snorkeling which I would say made the experience a success.