MEGAN SEARS
Dalton
Summary
Currently, I am working as a water operator, with a background as a marine conservationist. I have experience in scientific diving and working with marine invertebrates and vertebrates through my time with Go Dive, the Grupo Punta Cana Fundación. The RWU wet lab and Sharp lab. I plan to further my diving skill set alongside my water operator position and aquaculture knowledge to become a commercial/scientific diver.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Water Operator
Housatonic Basin Sample and Testing
Lee
08.2025 - Current
- Responsible for sampling and processing results for public water systems.
- Obtaining/logging of system inventory data from over 200 public water systems.
- Uploading and organizing legal documents from water system schematics, incidents, and maintenance.
- Collection and testing of public beach water quality and environmental conditions.
Shark research/divemaster training intern
Go Dive
Mossel Bay
03.2025 - 04.2025
- Research projects: white shark fin ID/ population dynamics, nudibranch dive surveys, benthic shark tagging
- Weekly rehabilitation efforts and animal care at the Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre (SAPREC)
- Coastal clean-ups, diving for conservation and ghost gear removal alongside organization clean ocean divers
Marine Conservation Operations intern
Grupo Punta Cana Fundación
Punta Cana
06.2024 - 08.2024
- Weekly scuba diving efforts to maintain coral out planting structures and filming of structures and reef.
- Preparation of cameras and dive equipment, 3D reconstructions using Metashape, data/progress management
- Husbandry of corals for the land-based nursery
Aquaculture Student Research Assistant
RWU Aquaculture & Aquarium Science Lab
Bristol
12.2021 - 05.2024
- Responsible for the daily care of live feed cultures including rotifers, artemia, and copepods
- Cared for larval, juvenile, and adult fish: food prep, maintained life support systems, sanitized/organized tools
- Assisted in data collection for clownfish egg rearing study: logging clownfish spawn data
- Coral display tank experience, advanced water quality, health inspections, coral fragging/gluing
Solar Panel Installation Intern
Berkshire Photovoltaic Services
North Adams
05.2021 - 08.2021
- Preparation of work materials, roof installation projects, and analyzing data from previous projects in Excel
Education
Bachelor of Science - Marine Biology
Roger Williams University
Bristol, RI05.2024
Skills
- Scientific scuba diving
- DSLR camera underwater filming
- Fin ID
- Data collection in ocean and lab settings
- Microscopy
- Cell counting skills
- Proper handling of hazardous materials
- Microsoft Suite
- Visual modeling of reefs using Adobe Metashape
- Video/picture editing
- strong organizational skills
Certification
American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) certified
Research
Trans Isthmian Biodiversity Profile 2024, Photography of marine species in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans along Northern and Southern Panama, Data analyzed to determine biological patterns seen across multiple study sites along the Isthmus.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Water Operator
Housatonic Basin Sample and Testing
08.2025 - Current
Shark research/divemaster training intern
Go Dive
03.2025 - 04.2025
Marine Conservation Operations intern
Grupo Punta Cana Fundación
06.2024 - 08.2024
Aquaculture Student Research Assistant
RWU Aquaculture & Aquarium Science Lab
12.2021 - 05.2024
Solar Panel Installation Intern
Berkshire Photovoltaic Services
05.2021 - 08.2021
Bachelor of Science - Marine Biology
Roger Williams University