For 8 (glorious) weeks this summer I’ll be proudly mentoring an exceptional senior undergraduate student at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s (CCMI) Little Cayman Research Centre (LCRC). Situated on the northern shores of Little Cayman Island, the centre hosts a variety of scientific and education programs focused on marine and ocean sciences. This years REU cohort was among the most competitive, and the final cohort of 8 students represent the metaphorical top of the pile. A great time to spend some time in the sun, get some cool science projects done, and of course, write my dissertation!