Intern Olivia Hooper: Extending a Hand

There’s no better way to learn about the WHOI Sea Grant Extension Program than to jump in and help. Massachusetts Maritime Academy senior Olivia Hooper spent six months interning with WHOI Sea Grant marine extension team members Abigail Archer and Josh Reitsma and research coordinator Jennie Rheuban, immersing herself in a range of water quality, sustainable aquaculture and fisheries projects. Olivia assisted with the shellfish habitat assessment project – counting oysters and measuring and recording their length. She also helped out with two river herring projects, building PIT (passive integrated transponders) antennae for a river herring passage project at Town Brook in Plymouth and recording data and checking the electronic counter at Harwich’s Herring River during the river herring upstream migration season.  Olivia graduated from Mass Maritime this May with her bachelor’s in Marine Science, Safety and Environmental Protection.  Congratulations, Olivia!