| 2003-04 Recipient
Elizabeth Potter Madin
Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet 2004 - Recipient Speech
"Since commencement, I've had many adventures and experiences
that have rounded out who I am today. After graduating from
college, I moved to Australia where I had the opportunity
to immerse myself in my passion for the study of the ocean
and its diversity of life through research in one of the most
immense and diverse marine ecosystems, the Great Barrier Reef.
While there, I also met and fell in love with my wonderful
husband, Josh, and as a result ended up staying for far longer
than I had originally planned! As a result of both my research
there and my inspiration by Josh and his path, I've recently
begun a five or so year journey to get my Ph.D. in marine
ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Once finished, I hope to be able to apply
my skills as a scientist to improving our understanding of
marine ecosystems and, as a result, make a significant contribution
to the preservation of marine ecosystems worldwide. As you're
probably all well-aware, many marine systems, such as coral
reefs, are currently facing a number of threats from human
development of coastal areas and overexploitation of marine
resources. This threat is compounded by our lack of understanding
of the dynamics which govern these systems, and so for this
reason I've chosen to approach my passion for marine conservation
from a scientific perspective."
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