{"id":34466,"date":"2025-05-22T13:07:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T17:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=34466"},"modified":"2025-05-27T17:19:33","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T21:19:33","slug":"ucf-graduate-student-awarded-prestigious-marine-conservation-scholarship-named-after-distinguished-marine-biologist-susan-l-williams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-graduate-student-awarded-prestigious-marine-conservation-scholarship-named-after-distinguished-marine-biologist-susan-l-williams\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Graduate Student Awarded Prestigious Marine Conservation Scholarship Named After Distinguished Marine Biologist Susan L. Williams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Biology student Carla Perscky will conduct first-time research, developing innovative technologies to help conserve tropical seagrass, a vital habitat for many marine species<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By: Ana G. Hidalgo | May 22, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Carla Perscky, a biology graduate student and research scientist at the UCF Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab, is studying how temperature affects a species of tropical seagrass found in Florida.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Carla Perscky, a master\u2019s student in the UCF Department of Biology and Navy veteran, received the Women Divers Hall of Fame\u2019s (WDHOF) Susan L. Williams Memorial Graduate Marine Conservation Scholarship, a prestigious award that will help her fund critical research on how varying ocean temperatures affect tropical seagrass \u2014 a first-time study on this specific species.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scholarship is named in honor of the late Susan L. Williams, an internationally recognized WDHOF member and biology professor at the University of California, Davis. Williams was known for her influential research on seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. The award supports graduate student research proposals in marine ecology and encourages leadership early in students\u2019 careers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a first-generation graduate student, Perscky\u2019s passion for marine conservation was shaped by her childhood in Panama, where she grew up in a culture deeply connected to the ocean. Her love for the sea led her to a career in the U.S. Navy, where she spent more than a decade as a boat captain and engineer, broadening her understanding of ocean ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A
Perscky applied her Navy experience to help restore vital tropical seagrass ecosystems in Florida.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cServing in the U.S. Navy showed me the power and fragility of our oceans,\u201d says Perscky. \u201cIn this role, I supported underwater missions like helping map the ocean floor with sonar equipment in places like Papua New Guinea to recover a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter black box lost during military training missions \u2014 some of which ended in fatal accidents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working with Navy divers encouraged Perscky to pursue her PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) open water diving certification. Through her diving experience, she witnessed the impacts of coral bleaching in Australia, fueling her commitment to pursue a career in ocean conservation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following her military service, Perscky transitioned to the corporate world, but quickly realized it didn\u2019t align with her passions and goals. Her desire to protect and restore ocean ecosystems was still at the forefront of her mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m very mission-driven and I was looking for my next mission \u2014 the corporate world wasn\u2019t it,\u201d says Perscky. \u201cBut after I started volunteering with Dr. Linda Walters<\/a> at the UCF Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab<\/a>, it gave me purpose again.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working alongside a community of scientists, Perscky applied her maritime skills to engage youth and local communities in coastal ecosystem education and restoration projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe restored hundreds of feet of coastal habitat \u2014 from growing mangroves to transporting them to islands where restoration was needed,\u201d says Perscky. \u201cIt was a multi-faceted effort that showed how much time and resources it takes to bring these ecosystems back and why it\u2019s important to conserve them in the first place.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, Perscky participated in UCF\u2019s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), a hands-on, 10-week research program focused on planting seagrass alongside eastern oysters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis experience opened doors for me,\u201d Perscky says. \u201cI was invited to present my research at the World Seagrass Conference in Italy, where I learned new techniques for testing seagrass. That knowledge inspired my current research, which explores how different warming temperatures affect tropical seagrass.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A strong diving background and an admiration for Dr. Williams\u2019 work led her to apply for the Susan L. Williams Memorial Graduate Marine Conservation Scholarship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walters, who serves as a mentor to Perscky, says that she is a great example of a UCF success story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe first came to UCF as an NSF-funded REU intern in my lab while using her veteran benefits to complete a B. S. Environmental Science at Oregon State University and was accepted into our master\u2019s degree program in Biology,\u201d says Walters. \u201cWith 10 years of experience as a U.S. Navy boat and diver specialist, the scholarship selection committee made a great choice awarding this scholarship to Carla. Dr. Williams was an amazing coastal biologist whose research spanned many topics, including seagrass conservation \u2014 the topic of Carla’s new research. Dr. Williams was also one of my most treasured mentors, missed by many. We are honored that UCF is a part of keeping her legacy alive.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

William\u2019s legacy is one that inspired Perscky as she continues to build on important research efforts in protecting vital marine ecosystems. \u201cDr. Williams was a trailblazer in ocean conservation,\u201d says Perscky. \u201cShe began testing the thermal effects on a different species of seagrass back in 2016, so it\u2019s an honor to receive a scholarship named after her.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perscky says that beyond being a financial boost, receiving the scholarship was a vote of confidence \u2014 empowering her to move forward with her proposed experiments, engage volunteers in the research and share findings that could inform future conservation efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnder the guidance of Dr. Walters, who was mentored by Dr. Williams, I feel like I\u2019m part of a legacy of women mentoring the next generation,\u201d says Perscky.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now serving as executive director of Anglers for Conservation \u2014 a non-profit that engages communities, especially youth, in sustainable fishing practices, environmental education and hands-on habitat restoration \u2014 Perscky plans to use the scholarship to strengthen her leadership, research and data analysis skills to support science-based initiatives at her organization.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis scholarship will help me advance research on seagrass genomics and raise awareness about the importance of conserving these ecosystems,\u201d says Perscky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked what advice she would offer fellow Knights, Perscky emphasized the value of volunteering to gain experience, learn about yourself and discover new passions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVolunteering helped me land a job at Anglers for Conservation, but more importantly, it taught me not to be afraid to pivot,\u201d says Perscky. \u201cAs a college student, you often picture your life going in certain direction, but it rarely turns out that way. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to stay flexible, be a lifelong learner and remain open to new possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Students and researchers from the UCF Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab, along with Dr. Linda Walters (second row, left), worked to grow and plant tropical seagrass that serves as habitat for a variety of marine species.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Biology student Carla Perscky will conduct first-time research, developing innovative technologies to help conserve tropical seagrass, a vital habitat for many marine species By: Ana G. Hidalgo | May 22, 2025 Carla Perscky, a master\u2019s student in the UCF Department of Biology and Navy veteran, received the Women Divers Hall of Fame\u2019s (WDHOF) Susan L. 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