My name is Samantha Lovely, and I am currently a senior at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. As an environmental studies and geography double-major, I had the unique opportunity to intern for CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA) at their headquarters in Stuart, Florida, over the summer. In my role as Marine Science Intern, I worked on different literature synthesis initiatives that will be used on future projects.

My primary project focused on deep-sea mining operations for minerals–an increasingly sought-after commodity in international waters. Deepsea mining has unique and complex issues, which have, so far, limited exploitation endeavors. I worked to gather all available information on deep-sea mining as CSA continues to develop their capabilities to become an industry leader at the forefront of deep-sea mining exploration and retrieval operations. I am grateful to have been able to learn so much about deep-sea mining, and I hope to develop a thesis project on this subject for my upcoming senior year at Colgate University. This honors project will use a sustainability lens to evaluate the potential impacts of deep-sea mining in an increasingly environmentally-conscious world.

I was also able to gain valuable insight into and beyond the environmental consulting realm, which is an experience that many traditional internships do not necessarily provide. I attended Florida’s Environmental Permitting Summer School in Marco Island, Florida, where I completed a variety of courses, networked with environmental professionals from across the state of Florida, and learned more about the core values behind CSA as a company. This was an amazing experience that reminded me how excited I am for my future, and how grateful I am for those at CSA who provided guidance and insight to help me on my path. As a college student, this type of experience was invaluable.

Dr. Mark Fonseca, CSA’s Vice President–Science, stated that “Samantha was a pleasure to work with over the summer, she did an amazing job synthesizing deep-sea mining data, and this report will be very useful as we focus more on this activity.” Mr. Peterson, CSA’s Chief Executive Officer, also commented that “Samantha has a very bright future ahead of her, and we wish her all the very best in her future studies and endeavors.”