10 Bermudian students complete summer research internships at ASU BIOS

2026 Bermuda Program cohort at ASU BIOS gains hands-on experience across ocean, climate, and environmental research projects.

ASU BIOS is proud to celebrate 50 years of the Bermuda Program, marking the milestone with a cohort of 10 Bermudian interns. Since its founding in 1976, the Bermuda Program has provided more than 320 Bermudian students aged 18 and older with hands-on experience in oceanographic and atmospheric research.  

Through fully funded summer internships, participants work alongside leading scientists and mentors across ASU BIOS research programs, contributing to active research while gaining practical technical skills and professional experience. The program offers students a unique opportunity to explore career pathways in science, technology, and environmental stewardship while developing the confidence to become future leaders in their fields.

This year, students engaged in a diverse range of research initiatives including marine fungi investigations, underwater video and technology design, sediment trapping, microplastics detection, coral ecology studies, and hurricane development analysis. Together, these projects reflect the range of research underway at ASU BIOS and the program’s ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of Bermuda’s scientific leaders and changemakers.

Gray Swan (20)

• Third-time Bermuda Program intern, Marine Science Internship (2024), Incoming NSF REU Student (2026)
• School: Year 3, Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky (USA)
• Mentor: Tim Noyes, PhD
• Project: Adaptive Marine Monitoring Technologies: eDNA Sampling and Baited Remote Underwater Video System [BRUVS] Video Analysis
• “For those applying, don’t be scared of what you don’t know, because you’ll learn it along the way. Join because of the lab experience and all of the people you’ll meet,” said Gray.  

Charlotte Slayton (21)  

• First-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Year 4, Wildlife Biology and Conservation, University of Guelph (Canada)
• Mentor: Hossein Masigol, PhD
• Project: Fungi in the Sea-Air Interface
• “This experience has taught me that I enjoy the process of scientific research just as much as I enjoy learning more about one specific species or group of animals. I am now more confident that I want to apply for a master's program to continue researching ecology,” said Charlotte.

Noah Astwood (19)

• Second-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Incoming Student, Biology, Sussex County Community College (USA)
• Mentor: Rachel Parsons, MSc, and Dani Cox, PhD
• Project: Sargassum Microbiome Removal Methods
• “It has changed the way I think about science and my future in the field. I now understand that working in the sciences is not always going to be a smooth endeavor and there will be research mishaps that I will have to push through and maintain my composure, a skill I will have to keep up and strengthen over time,” said Noah.

Guyen Bean (19)

• First-time Bermuda Program intern, Innovations for the Environment student (2024)
• School: Year 2, Theology minor in Chemistry, Andrews University in Michigan (USA)  
• Mentor: Hossein Masigol, PhD
• Project: Fungi in the Sea-Air Interface
• “Because of this opportunity, I am now able to understand what other scientists in this field are actually saying. I am able to communicate with them on a level where I can know the basics and that they can teach me so that I can move on to the next level,” said Guyen.

Maya Kennedy (21)

• Second-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Year 4, Environmental Science, University of Guelph (Canada)  
• Mentor: Tarik Smith (KoomConsulting)
• Project: First Flush Project 2026
• Maya said, “I have been able to strengthen my presentation and report writing skill and develop skills in data analysis.”

Zahari Burgess (19)

• Second-time Bermuda Program intern, Innovations for the Environment student (2024)
• School: Year 2, Nuclear Engineering, Ontario Tech University (Canada)
• Mentor: Tim Noyes, PhD
• Project: Reproducing a low-cost release system
• “It has been very inspiring [to work alongside ASU BIOS researchers] as you get a window into the research world,” said Zahari.

Laura Frith (18)

• First-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Year 2, Marine Biology, Swansea University (UK)
• Mentor: Jessica Godfrey, MSc
• Project: Different methods for monitoring marine fungi
• “I did not know I could get that happy before now about fungi,” said Laura.  

Shavon Nisbett (21)

• Fifth-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Year 3, Marine Biology, Nova Southeastern University (USA)
• Mentor: Rod Johnson, PhD and Rachel Parsons, MSc
• Project: Microplastic Distribution in the North Atlantic Gyre
• “I would recommend the Bermuda Program to anyone interested in marine and environmental science. This is a good opportunity to get hands-on experience and work with professional researchers to conduct real-life research and create projects that can really gain a better understanding of what is going on in our oceans and environment,” said Shavon.

Sanjay Fox-Romaine (19)

• First-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Year 2, Science, Bermuda College
• Mentor: Mark Guishard, PhD
• Project: Climate Controls on Major Hurricane Impacts Affecting Bermuda
• “This internship has reminded me that science can be both challenging and exciting. While research often requires patience and persistence, the process of discovering new insights and answering meaningful questions has reinforced my passion for meteorology and my desire to pursue a career in the field,” said Sanjay.

De’Asia Symonds (22)

• First-time Bermuda Program intern
• School: Year 2, Science, Bermuda College
• Mentor: Yvonne Sawall, PhD
• Project: Responses of the brain coral Diploria labyrinthiformis to heat stress and artificial upwelling using traditional tissue biomarkers as heat stress indicators
• “This experience has allowed me to prepare myself for possible career opportunities in the future that correspond with marine life and…build meaningful friendships and relationships with professionals in my field of work that will allow me to advance my career,” said De’Asia.

As the 2026 cohort prepares to begin university studies or continue their academic journeys, they leave the ASU BIOS campus with new skills, professional networks and first-hand experience contributing to scientific discovery.

Through their work addressing some of today’s most pressing ocean and climate challenges, these 10 interns have contributed to efforts with both local and global relevance. They join a growing network of more than 320 Bermuda Program alumni whose careers continue to shape research, education, conservation and environmental stewardship in Bermuda and beyond.  

Learn more about the ASU BIOS Bermuda Program at https://bios.asu.edu/education/bermuda-program