The Research Department is proud to introduce this year’s cohort of DaRin Butz Research Fellows, a group of dedicated early-career scientists contributing to sea turtle conservation here at LMC. This fellowship provides hands-on field and research experience while advancing opportunities for women in STEM. This season, Sophia Chisamore and Bonnie Burns will be working with the morning team, while Raschelli “Schelli” Linz will support the nighttime leatherback team, each playing an important role in daily surveys, nest evaluations, and ongoing research efforts. We’re thrilled to have them on the team and look forward to the contributions they’ll make throughout the season.
Bonnie Burns
Bonnie Burns, originally from Columbus, Ohio, earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and is entering her third season with Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Having grown up in Jupiter, Florida, she developed an early connection to sea turtles through frequent visits to LMC, which inspired her to pursue a career in marine science and conservation. Bonnie previously worked under Dr. Jeanette Wyneken at the FAU Marine Lab assisting with sea turtle hatchling husbandry for temperature and sex ratio studies, and has also contributed to environmental education through roles at both LMC and Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park. She is especially interested in the complexity of high-density nesting beaches and hopes to continue integrating research and education in her career.
Raschelli Linz
Raschelli “Schelli” Linz is originally from Milton, West Virginia and currently a PhD candidate at Florida Atlantic University under Dr. Sarah Milton. She is entering her third nesting season as a Nighttime Field Tech with the leatherback team at LMC. Schelli’s dissertation work utilizes both field sampling and in-lab cell culture methods to characterize contaminant exposure in south Florida’s nesting leatherbacks and identify molecular biomarkers useful for future monitoring efforts associated with this species. She has recently presented some of her findings at the 44th International Sea Turtle Symposium in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and will soon begin publishing her findings. In addition to her PhD work, Schelli has master’s degrees in both marine biology and integrative biology, as well as a background in spatial ecology and statistical modeling. After graduation, Schelli plans to secure a post-doctoral research fellowship before pursuing a career in research and/or academia. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Schelli is a scientific illustrator and pop-surrealist artist whose art has been featured in state and national fine art exhibitions and at local education centers, including Manatee Lagoon.
Sophia Chisamore
Sophia Chisamore is originally from New Haven, Missouri, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee in December 2023. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Coastal, Marine Science and Management at Arizona State University, with an expected graduation in May 2026, and is entering her second season with LMC. Sophia’s passion for sea turtle research was sparked during a 2023 education internship at Loggerhead Marinelife Center and further developed through fieldwork with the Hawai‘i Island Hawksbill Project, where she conducted nesting and hatchling surveys on endangered hawksbill sea turtles. She is particularly drawn to the dynamic nature of high-density nesting beaches and values the opportunity to continue building her field and research experience while contributing to sea turtle conservation.