Stephanie graduated with a B.S. in Biology from St. Louis University and is currently a graduate student studying biological oceanography at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. As a graduate teaching assistant, she teaches an Introduction to Oceanography laboratory course for undergraduates. Stephanie has always been passionate about marine life in the oceans. Her research will involve studying cetaceans and the marine ecology in the Galapagos Islands. She is a PADI certified advanced open water diver and will use the grant towards her goal of becoming an AAUS certified scientific diver.