Ellie Heflin didn’t fully know what she was getting into when she chose Marine Sciences as her major at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Initially, the decision to go there was based on the opportunity to pay for school, get scholarships, and play a sport she loved.

“Because I am from Tennessee, UAB offered in-state tuition and scholarships for marine science concentration majors, so I picked it because of the benefits,” Ellie said. “And it’s what I was interested in. I had no idea about DISL, but I am so glad it was part of my experience.”

The connection to DISL was basically a game-changer for Ellie. It offered her a way to dive deeper into her studies more than a traditional classroom would allow. Most of the class time was spent in the field, learning to apply textbook material to real-world situations. From sharks to diatoms, she took a top-down view of how marine habitats function.

The harsh reality of fieldwork pulled her in rather than pushing her away. Her experience at DISL was so transformative that graduating was a turning point. Ellie now has an internship spot in the Baker lab, where they look at the vital role coastal ecosystems play as nurseries for important fishery species.

She does have one piece of advice for any students looking into the marine sciences.

“It’s messy, dirty, exhausting, and smelly, but it is a good representation of what a lab and field-heavy job in marine science looks like,” Ellie said.

The Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium helps students at 21 schools and universities achieve their goals for undergraduate and graduate degrees in marine sciences. Connect with these opportunities through the MESC liaisons at each university. Find the full list here.