Stoneleigh-Burnham Graduate Presents Research at International Coral Reef Symposium in Hawaii

8/31/16 — Recent Stoneleigh-Burnham School graduate Sophie Spring ’16 traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, where she presented her research on the use of oysters for water quality remediation at the International Coral Reef Symposium. Her presentation was an outgrowth of her work as a candidate for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program while a student at Stoneleigh-Burnham.

The symposium brought together 2,500 coral reef scientists, policy makers, and managers from 70 different nations to present the latest research findings, case histories, and management activities, and to discuss the application of scientific knowledge to achieving coral reef sustainability.

The many opportunities to practice public speaking and engage with adults in a professional manner at Stoneleigh-Burnham helped Spring tremendously as she answered questions about her presentation and networked. “It was great to be able to articulate myself in a place where almost everyone else presenting was either a Ph.D. or a graduate student,” Spring said. “It’s a plug for the IB program that I was taken seriously because I put in the work to think creatively and think outside the box.”