Leah Hintz
Bridgeport,CT
Summary
An educator and graduate research student who is dedicated to research in marine ecology and the conservation of marine species through relevant educational awareness, outreach activities, and research methodologies.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Full-Time Senior Educator and Teen Volunteer Program Manager
Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
2023.02 - Current
- Teaches/facilitates as the lead and/or the co-educator for several in house, virtual, traveling, and in the field educational programs
- Conducts assessments on potential employee and volunteer candidates, as well as conducting training with active employees on interpretive skills
- Manages, trains, and supervises the Aquarium’s adult and teenage volunteers at the interactive touch tanks and exhibits
- Lead guide in several offsite guided birding and nature tours and coastal clean-ups with volunteers
- Assists with community science monitoring projects, such as horseshoe crab tagging and salt marsh restoration, in affiliation with Project Limulus at Sacred Heart University and Connecticut Audubon Society, respectively
- Occasionally assists as a deckhand during the lobster trap recovery (LTRAP) program led by the TMA’s Conservation and Policy Department as a mission driven and grant-funded project.
Part-Time Science Educator
Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
2021.06 - 2023.02
- Acts as a Gallery Ambassador to educate guests about the various exhibits, gives interpretative talks during animal encounters and seal feeding demonstrations, floor tables, lead and/or co-educator during overnight events and private birthday parties for guests
- Participated in the professional development and teaching programs for the incoming students from the Norwalk Public Schools Summer School Program and developed new floor activity programs.
Full-Time Special Education Para-educator
Fairfield Public Schools, Roger Ludlowe Middle School
2019.08 - 2022.06
- Assisted and modified students' schoolwork and assignments in conjunction to students’ Individualized Education Program under direction of Case Manager
- Developed strong rapport with students and often filled in as substitute teacher when general education teachers were absent
- Participated in school district-wide professional development and led small group discussions
- Effectively demonstrated leadership and knowledge in technological support to students and other support staff when the school district switched to remote learning in March 2020 and a hybrid learning system for 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full-Time Marine Science Instructor/Camp Counselor
Newfound Harbor Marine Institute at SeaCamp Association Inc.
2019.06 - 2019.08
- Developed lesson plans, activities and laboratory experiences for an introductory course in oceanography while on site and aboard vessels for snorkel trips via marine debris cleanups, and kayaking tours.
- Camp Photographer
Education
Master of Science - Biology
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, Connecticut08.2024
Bachelor of Science - Marine Biology
Roger Williams University
Bristol, Rhode IslandSkills
- Analysis and Research
- Technical Report writing
- Outreach Planning
- Program Management
- Environmental awareness
- Proficient in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace software
- Beginner in Spanish speaking and writing
- Intermediate skills in Photography (wildlife & portraits)
Research Experience
- Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut, Thesis Research, Department of Biology, 02/2021, present, Dr. Sean Grace, Scientific research on the temperate coral Astrangia poculata. Developed new methods to study eDNA of micro-organisms, ocean acidification effects on coral, and the depth range of zooxanthellae within coral found in the water column.
- Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island, Independent Research, Department of Marine Biology and Biology, 01/2018, 05/2019, Dr. Koty Sharp, Scientific research on the temperate coral Astrangia poculata. Assisted in streaking coral mucus for bacterial isolates using sterile technique, initial image processing for coral colonies with microscopy, basic microbiology, and molecular biology procedures (PCR, gels). Developed coral larval settlement protocols.
- Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut, NSF EPSCOR Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow, 05/2018, 07/2018, Scientific research involving the temperate coral Astrangia poculata. Developed new methods to study coral ingestion of microplastics. Also, assisted in bacterial culturing, dissection, dissecting microscopy, and cell counts. Collected and analyzed biological data about the relationships between organisms and their environment through occasional field work for data and specimen collections.
Presentations
- Investigating the Plastisphere: The Role of Plastic-Associated Microbes on Microbead Ingestion by the coral Astrangia poculata, 07/2018, Rhode Island SURF Undergraduate Research Symposium, University of Rhode Island
- The effect of seawater temperature changes on the feeding behavior of the zebra slug Hypselodoris zebra, 11/2018, Fall Semester Final Talks, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences
Certification
- Open Ocean and Advanced SCUBA Diver
- AAUS Scientific Diver
Volunteering
With Sanacora and Mission: Ocean Reef, October 2019 to current
Timeline
Full-Time Senior Educator and Teen Volunteer Program Manager
Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
2023.02 - Current
Part-Time Science Educator
Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
2021.06 - 2023.02
Full-Time Special Education Para-educator
Fairfield Public Schools, Roger Ludlowe Middle School
2019.08 - 2022.06
Full-Time Marine Science Instructor/Camp Counselor
Newfound Harbor Marine Institute at SeaCamp Association Inc.
2019.06 - 2019.08
Master of Science - Biology
Southern Connecticut State University
Bachelor of Science - Marine Biology
Roger Williams University
- Open Ocean and Advanced SCUBA Diver
- AAUS Scientific Diver
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