The State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota recently highlighted the efforts of biotechnology student Matthew Britten, who is taking part in a National Science Foundation Internship at Mote Marine.
To earn the competitive position, Britten applied with his resume, transcripts and an essay that addressed how the internship would allow him to indulge his passion for science, the environment and animals.
His work at Mote Marine sees him working in the facility’s labs, building upon research techniques he learned at SCF under Associate Professor of Natural Sciences Matthew Thomas.
“I’m doing a lot of the fun lab rat kind of stuff,” Britten said. “All the techniques Dr. Thomas taught me, I’m using every single one at Mote. Everything he’s taught me in the lab and on the computer, I use over there. It’s really cool refining all of those techniques I learned.”
Britten works with Mote Marine Microbiology Program Manager Kim Beach Ritchie, studying protection measures for the coral reef system. He focuses on antibiotic research and works with shark samples and bacteria for potential applications in both animals and humans.
The internship requires Britten to take a class at the University of South Florida, where he hopes to enroll upon earning his associate degree from SCF.
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