The 2019 MantaWatch Internship Programme began today, with four new interns joining our team from across Indonesia.
MIP-2019 marks the eighth year of this programme. The 29 alumni from previous years are already championing marine conservation issues in Indonesia.
This years interns were selected from more than 70 applicants. They each receive a Guy Joseph Award supported by Guy’s Trust. These interns were selected based on their technical experience, but also on the passion and enthusiasm to promote conservation that they all demonstrate.
Irianies Gozali is the first intern we have received from the Univeristy of Sriwijaya in Palembang, Sumatra, where she gained B.Sc. Marine Science. Irianies is a member of the Indonesian Students’ Diving Forum. She recently completed an undergraduate placement in Muncar working alongside our Sustainable Fisheries team to improve data about the shark and ray fisheries in this location.
Rika Laring is a graduate of Gadjah Mada Univeristy, where she gained B.Sc. Fisheries Processing Technology. She is a member of Kuliah Kerja Nyata or Community Service Program where she helped to create an Ocean School for elementary children in Maluku. Her interests include communicating and raising awareness about conservation issues amongst coastal communities, and improving Indonesia’s sustainable seafood supply chains.
Sihar Aditia is a B.Sc. Marine Science graduate from Bogor Agricultural Institute. His undergraduate research investigated how environmental DNA can be used to monitor populations of walking sharks that are endemic to northeast Indonesia.
Williem Hartono is a B.Sc. Marine Science student at the Univeristy of Padjadjaran. His interests include designing innovative approaches to educate and inspire coastal communities to manage their local marine resources. He is currently planning his undergraduate research, and hopes to study the environmental factors influencing manta cleaning behaviour.
Our first day was opportunity to introduce the program, and to each define our own personal and professional goals for the next four weeks. I have been impressed by the ambitious goals that each of our interns has set for themselves. But I have no doubt that they have the ability to achieve and surpass these goals.
