Meet the amazing volunteers of Birch Aquarium!
This National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’re celebrating our team of over 300 volunteers that go above and beyond everyday at the aquarium to create unforgettable experiences for our guests! They share stories and fun facts that spark curiosity, introduce guests to the intertidal zone, help out in our education classrooms, prepare food for our animals and so much more! Birch Aquarium would not be the same without their hard work! Each of our volunteers brings with them a unique set of experiences, interests, and a passion for marine science and conservation and we’re so excited to introduce you to a few! We sat down with several of our volunteers to learn more about them and their experiences volunteering at the aquarium.
Meet Carol:
Tell us about yourself! I just moved to San Diego! I recently retired from the University of Michigan. I worked in pulmonary critical care and spent 30 years working in the science field.
Why do you volunteer? After working in a scientific career for several decades, I wanted to continue learning about the natural environment. Volunteering at the aquarium is a great way for me to learn more.
What is the most rewarding part of volunteering? The most rewarding part is seeing kids get so excited to learn about marine life. I love watching their faces light up looking at the sardine tank, or touching sea stars in the outdoor tidepools out on Tide Pool Plaza.
What’s something new you learned by volunteering here? I’ve learned a lot. Many of the newsletters that get sent out to the volunteers talk about all the intricacies of the marine environment. For instance, one of them talked about tidepools. Even though I’d seen tidepools many times before volunteering here, I didn’t really understand what they were or know what was okay to touch. I’ve learned all that and more since becoming a volunteer.
What advice do you have for new volunteers on making the most of this opportunity? Volunteer often! It’s the best way to make connections with others passionate about the marine world.
Earth Week is coming up in April and Birch Aquarium will be celebrating with different sustainability focused events. What are some sustainable strategies that you already practice in your daily life? I’m very interested in ecology and conservation. I use reusable water bottles instead of single-use plastic bottles and I don’t use paper towels and napkins – I always use reusable cloth towels instead.
Do you have a favorite animal at Birch Aquarium? My favorites are the Weedy Seadragons and the Giant Pacific Octopus!
Meet Michael:
Tell us about yourself! I’ve been volunteering at the aquarium since early February of this year. I’m currently a junior in high school. I’ve interned at several other environmental organizations and even worked at the public library. Volunteering at the aquarium is my first marine focused volunteer opportunity.
Why do you volunteer? I find marine biology super interesting! I also wanted to enhance my social skills by conversing with guests and engaging in public outreach.
What is the most rewarding part of volunteering? I really enjoy meeting and talking with new people. I get to do that every single day while volunteering at the aquarium.
What’s something new you learned by volunteering here? I’ve learned how to connect with people through marine science. Also, how to get guests excited about marine life and conservation.
What advice do you have for new volunteers on making the most of this opportunity? If you’re shadowing as a volunteer, really pay attention to the advice you receive. Everyone had really great tips for engaging with guests. This experience is a great way to learn a lot about a variety of marine science topics, so if that’s of interest to you, volunteering is an awesome way to gain exposure to the field of marine biology.
Earth Week is coming up in April and Birch Aquarium will be celebrating with different sustainability focused events. What are some sustainable strategies that you already practice in your daily life? I always make sure to recycle and sort my trash and recycling according to guidelines of the city.
Do you have a favorite animal at Birch Aquarium? Yeah! I absolutely love the baby Swell Sharks in the nursery habitat in Hall of Fishes.
Meet Wynne:
Tell us about yourself! Before volunteering here I was a librarian. I’ve been a librarian both at a school and a public library. At one of my previous positions I even had the occasional opportunity to drive around a huge bookmobile — that was a blast!
Why do you volunteer? I always enjoyed visiting here with my children. I think Birch Aquarium is a very well established place in the community and I wanted to help people to enjoy the aquarium like I did.
What is the most rewarding part of volunteering? The most rewarding part is when I have someone thank me for my help or giving them a tip. I love when I’m successful in helping a guest find an exhibit they’ve been searching for.
What’s something new you learned by volunteering here? I think all of the recent news about the Weedy Seadragon babies has been super interesting and exciting to learn about.
What advice do you have for new volunteers on making the most of this opportunity? I think it’s important to be open to new situations, remind guests about all of the incredible exhibits they can see here, and to educate yourself about marine life as much as possible. This way you’re able to talk with guests about what they are here to see.
arth Week is coming up in April and Birch Aquarium will be celebrating with different sustainability focused events. What are some sustainable strategies that you already practice in your daily life? I do my best to reuse paper I get in the mail for things like grocery lists. I also do my best to purchase items made with recycled materials.
Do you have a favorite animal at Birch Aquarium? I would have said seadragons always but now it’s the Little Blue Penguins. They have such charismatic personalities!