FNR Field Report - Ashlynn McLaughlin

Ashlynn McLaughlin, a senior aquatic sciences major with a concentration in marine and freshwater biology and a minor in Spanish, was a summer intern with the Whale Shark Oceanic Research Center (WSORC) on the island of Utila, Honduras in June. McLaughlin discovered the internship opportunity on WSORC’s website while searching for marine biology related internships.

“I not only learned so much about the ecology and physiology of organisms on Caribbean reefs and many new skills while performing scientific dives, but also about the culture and people around me,” Ashlynn said. “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to embrace the Honduran culture, connect with locals and fellow interns, and also practice my Spanish daily.”

As a June summer intern, Ashlynn went scuba diving to survey and log data through the REEF portal; cleaned and maintained the coral nursery tees; speared invasive lionfish to remove them from the reef; identified corals and all living organisms on the reef; monitored and treated corals affected by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD); looked for and monitored baby growing corals; and performed benthic surveys. She also received her advanced scuba certification, lionfish culling certification and REEF survey level 2 certification.

The internship program also included lectures and exams as well as a final individual project. While on the island, Ashlynn also volunteered with other local non-profit organizations on the island like Jasper’s Utila Animal Rescue, Kanahau Research Center, Bay Islands Conservation Association and the Utila Iguana Research and Breeding Station.

Ashlynn attended FNR’s Summer Practicum in 2025, conducting field work and learning about the creeks, rivers and lakes in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. During the internship, she was able to build on those skills and her other FNR coursework.

“I was able to apply my field skills learned in Aquatic Sampling I and II, as well as technical field skills learned in my summer experience in Michigan,” Ashlynn explained. “For example, the FNR department had taught me how to lay a transect in a target area and follow it accordingly while I was at the Michigan practicum. I got to exercise this skill again, but this time while diving under the water.”

Interning abroad brought some unexpected challenges for McLaughlin.

“The most challenging part was adapting to living in a new place and new conditions that I was not used to,” Ashlynn shared. “The heat down there was really intense! Also, there were many instances where full size tarantulas were found in our apartment!”

The Indianapolis native also was quick to point out the many positives she took away from the experience.

“My favorite parts of this job were working with other non-profit organizations and seeing the difference that is being made on the island with public education and outreach,” Ashlynn noted. “Additionally, I loved diving 3-4 days out of the week. The reef ecosystems, water quality and organisms there are indescribable.

“Interacting with the locals was one of the most special parts about this experience. I was able to form a connection with the people that worked in shops there, in the dive shop, at WSORC and also our neighbors that lived in our apartment complex. Additionally, it was awesome meeting people from all around the world. I was able to spend time with people from Germany, Israel, Australia, Amsterdam, Brazil, Honduras and Peru. Learning about their cultures and lives back home was an experience I will never forget!”

In addition to the summer internship in Honduras, Ashlynn has sharpened her skills and added to her natural resources resume as a research assistant in Dr. Lei Zhang’s Plant Nematology lab since January 2026. She has helped with experiments in the lab and also with the planting and management of the lab’s plants in the Lily Greenhouse.

Ashlynn is a member of the Marine Biology Club, having served as its secretary in 2025-26.

As she looks to the future, Ashlynn says her experience on Utila has changed her career goals.

“I am even more passionate about pursuing a career in marine biology than ever after this experience, however my specific specialty I am interested in somewhat shifted,” she explained. “I decided that I am more interested in the ecology, behavior and physiology of larger marine mammals/fish than I am in coral restoration work.”