06/25/2022
Dream Job
Fourth grader’s goal is to become a marine biologist at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
Petra Demas was in fourth grade when she entered and won the 2021 Art Contest hosted by the FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
Winning the contest meant the elementary student from Virginia was invited to tour FAU Harbor Branch and meet a researcher with Petra’s dream job – to protect marine life.
During her recent tour, Petra spent time with Andia Chaves Fonnegra, Ph.D., who studies sponges, corals and algae in the laboratory of integrative marine and coastal ecology at FAU’s Harbor Branch. Chaves Fonnegra is also an assistant professor of in the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College.
“This drawing shows the biodiversity of the reef ecosystem and the importance of FAU Harbor Branch’s work to preserve sea life around the world,” Petra wrote in her essay that accompanied her artwork. “My dream is to do that work too when I grow up.”
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My Dream
By Petra Demas
I was inspired to draw a zebra shark in a coral reef ecosystem along with many other reef creatures because I have snorkeled and swum with them before. I thought this drawing could represent FAU Harbor Branch’s ecosystem health researchers’ work to protect marine life including sharks and other creatures in reef ecosystems. In my drawing there are many animals hiding like reef squid, a cuttlefish, an octopus, a blue spotted ray, a cownose ray, a hermit crab, a clam, a manta ray, an eel and many tropical fish. Also, there are sea sponges that are used in research by FAU Harbor Branch’s microbiologists. This drawing shows the biodiversity of the reef ecosystem and the importance of FAU Harbor Branch’s work to preserve sea life around the world. My dream is to do that work too when I grow up.
This is my poem about my drawing.
Down under the silvery waves
Where beautiful coral reefs lay
An octopus hiding in the shadows
Predator and prey
A zebra shark lurking in the deep
Colorful tropical fish surrounding me
A blue spotted stingray asleep
An eel waiting for its lunch
A manta ray flying over the reef
A fish swims by and the eel snaps it with a crunch
Seahorses hiding in the seagrass
Friendly reef squid swim in formation
Parrot fish watching me pass
Cuttlefish changing colors
A hermit crab dozing on the sand
I love to swim among corals
The ocean’s rainforest
It feels like magic
I float up above
In the beautiful Atlantic
My dream is -
To become a marine biologist
To study the hidden world beneath the waves
To glide through the water with amazing creatures
To fully experience and protect the wonders of the ocean