Charlie Azzarito, a Hollings Scholar from Florida State University, is currently interning at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena for the summer. The Hollings Scholarship program awards about one hundred to two hundred students each year, providing tuition assistance for their junior and senior years in college as well as an internship with NOAA. Azzarito considers it a great opportunity and is excited to be working at such a unique site.
During his internship, Charlie is working on the Freshwater Acidification Project, monitoring levels of acidity, conductivity, temperature, and other factors in Lake Huron. This project is an extension of NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program, which typically focuses on ocean water. However, the study in the Great Lakes is the first of its kind and they hope to expand it to other sanctuaries in the region. Azzarito’s work is important for understanding and preserving the health of freshwater ecosystems.
As a Hollings Scholar, Azzarito has received tuition assistance for his junior and senior years at Florida State University. He is grateful for this support and considers it a privilege to be part of such a prestigious program. He looks forward to continuing his work at NOAA after graduation and hopes to contribute to ongoing research in marine biology and conservation efforts around the world.
