After a week of preparing for our final papers and presentations we finally reached the final day here at Hatfield.  The culmination of all the previous weeks has resulted in the final 11 presentations delivered earlier today.

So we started off the day with a 9:00 am cleaning of the lab with Allie who supplied us with incentive to work quickly (aka doughnuts) and allowed us to get out early which gave us a bit more time to prepare for our presentations.  Before the presentations we gathered in the staff lounge for a deli lunch before we moved into the auditorium.  

The presentations started at 12:30 and was open to parents and the public as well as any staff that decided to come, even Itchung was able to make an appearance.  Things started off quickly with Sally's introduction of the course and some of the interesting things that we've done over the past 10 weeks.  Ben and Molly broke the ice with their U. pugettensis study.  This allowed those pre-nervous jitters to subside as one-by-one each group stepped up to take their turn.  After a couple presentations we to a small cookie and juice break before finishing off with the last few presentations.  At the end Dana and Alicia finished up the symposium talking about their purple sea urchins and feeding preferences based on temperature, but it sounds like they just like S. sessilies at all temperatures.

It's pretty easy to say that this program had not only met but exceeded the expectations of every student and everybody realized how privileged they were to be able to spend time at this nationally renowned research institution.  We would once again like to thank all of the professors that were able to come out and instruct us as well as the three amazing TA's that were able to come out and spend time helping and hanging out with us.  We would also like to thank all of the staff at Hatfield for "tolerating" us during our stay over the past 10 weeks.

Thank you all,

Marine biology 2012 class

All of us hanging out in the Auditorium center before presentations

Ben and Molly professionally dressed for their presentation.

Karina answering tough questions from the crowd, confused maybe?