💡 Member Spotlight: Bayleigh Albert

We’re excited to feature Virginia Sea Grant intern Bayleigh Albert in this member spotlight post! She joined the Aquaculture Information Exchange team back in August and brings a passion for science communication and storytelling to our platform. Bayleigh is helping with AIE newsletters, Connect & Learn presentations, and more. We’re thrilled to have her on board!

AIE: Can you tell us a little about yourself? What are you studying at VIMS?
Bayleigh: My name is Bayleigh and I am the Communications Fellow for Virginia Sea Grant. I am a first-year Master of Arts student at VIMS studying science communication. I am specifically interested in telling science stories through writing and digital media such as photography and ArcGIS StoryMaps. As a part of my graduate program, I will be working on an applied capstone project instead of writing a traditional thesis paper. My project will involve communicating Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) to the general public using public signage, infographics, photography, ArcGIS StoryMaps, and more.

AIE: What’s one of your favorite things about the Aquaculture Information Exchange?
Bayleigh: I appreciate the integrated community the AIE provides to anyone involved or interested in aquaculture. Through the sharing of resources, the AIE creates a supportive community that uplifts voices, shares events, and highlights job postings. The AIE provides an intuitive platform to distribute aquaculture information benefiting students, extension, farmers, professors, and more. These resources can be interacted with on the platform, thus creating a collaborative community that supports anyone involved in aquaculture. I am grateful to be a part of this collaborative aquaculture community on the AIE, and I am looking forward to seeing how this community continues to grow.

AIE: How do you think better communication can help the aquaculture community?
Bayleigh: While interning with the VA Sea Grant and the Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture Lab and Team at VIMS this past summer, I learned that depending on the location and farmer, some aquaculture farmers are more inclined to be collaborative and share resources, while others prefer to operate on their own. Understanding this communication boundary is important when considering how to approach communication within the aquaculture community. Therefore, considering the aquaculture audience you’re collaborating with is crucial when targeting how to improve communication within the aquaculture community. The variety of communication tools available, such as social media, videos, and photographs, can help engage the aquaculture community and educate broader audiences on aquaculture. Additionally, fostering a supportive and inclusive community of people involved with aquaculture will also help improve communication. Whether a farmer wants to openly share their farm practices or would prefer to keep information within their operation, it is important to consider all perspectives when searching for new ways to improve communication in the aquaculture community.

AIE: If you could share one science communication tip, what would it be?
Bayleigh: Science can often be perceived by the public as difficult to access and understand. Conveying why an everyday person should care about the science you are trying to communicate is an important tip for engaging audiences. Connecting your scientific research back to the audience you are trying to reach will help make your research more tangible and accessible. Finally, emphasizing how your research applies to the target audience and how it could impact their everyday life will help encourage sustainable actions!

AIE: When you’re not studying or working on the AIE, what do you enjoy doing for fun?
Bayleigh: Outside of classes and AIE, I play on the Women’s Green Club Volleyball Team at William & Mary, traveling to three tournaments per semester. I have also just been elected as secretary of the Aquaculture Collective as well as the Communications Manager of the Society of Women in Marine Science at VIMS. In my free time, I enjoy both digital and film photography, traveling to new places, painting with acrylic on canvas, and playing guitar and ukulele. In the rare occurrence I have a free day, you can find me spending time with friends or attempting to shorten my “to be read” list!