Adam Searles, a biology alumnus, was a recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. He feels that this award will jump start his graduate career by providing funding for the first three years of his study, through which he hopes to become a professor of marine ecology at a top research institution.
What advice do you have for others interested in following a similar path?
The best piece of advice I can give is to write your proposal about something that really excites the scientist inside you. The more passionate and obsessed you are about your topic, the better the application will be. This passion for a question can develop as early as freshman year of undergrad. I based my proposal on a question that I thought of while at a research conference as a sophomore. It's never too early to start thinking about and writing down scientific questions and hypotheses. Undergraduate scientists are capable of amazing things. I also really encourage undergraduates pursuing this award to approach faculty members in their field for advice and guidance during the writing and applying stages. Drs. Michelle Gaither, Geoffrey Cook, and Chase Mason in the biology department were extremely supportive and helpful throughout my application process.
What research and internship experiences did you have while at UCF?
My first internship at UCF was during the summer after my freshman year (Summer 2016). I worked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) fisheries-independent monitoring program at the Indian River Lagoon Field Lab in Melbourne, Florida. There I learned how to conduct standardized field sampling of marine fish and invertebrate populations as well as a lot of taxonomic identification. When I returned to UCF I joined Dr. Cook's newly formed Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab. The following summer, (Summer 2017) I taught the new grad students and undergraduate researchers field sampling techniques, boating and trailering, and fish identification. I also began my undergraduate thesis work on invertebrate community responses to oyster reef restoration. That summer I was also awarded the NOAA Hollings Scholarship Program. The scholarship came with 2 years of tuition assistance and a paid internship at any NOAA lab in the country. I chose to work at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, Florida (Summer 2018). There I studied the response of ecologically important shrimp to different seagrass habitats (pictured in my fieldwork photo). Throughout my schooling, I worked on my Honors in the Major thesis project, which I defended in Spring 2019, and several other collaborations with other labs in the biology department.
In total, while at UCF I was recognized with the Order of Pegasus, the NOAA Hollings Scholarship, FWC Research Internship, College of Sciences Founders' Day Award, Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher, Research and Mentoring Program Scholarship, two Office of Undergraduate Research grants, a College of Sciences general scholarship, a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and outstanding presentation awards at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence, SHORE Conference 2016, and the Indian River Lagoon Symposium 2017.
What do you enjoy doing outside your academic activities?
My favorite hobbies are playing tennis and fishing with friends. My dream job is being a professor of marine ecology at UCF.
What are your long-term goals, and how has receiving the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship helped you toward those goals?
I want to be a professor of marine ecology at a top research institution. I want to conduct ecological research that can inform better conservation and management strategies so future generations can enjoy it just as we have. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program jump starts my graduate school career by guaranteeing funding for the first 3 years. Instead of worrying about funding, I can spend my time conducting quality research that will put me on my path to accomplishing my goal.