As a transfer student to UCSC’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program, Holly entered her junior year at UCSC with an enthusiasm to get involved in research. Holly is passionate about marine mammal physiology and learning about anthropogenic effects on marine ecosystems. Before she transferred, Holly gained invaluable experience working with animals in medical, research, and training settings as an intern through the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program and as a veterinary technician. After graduating in June 2016, Holly joined the Mehta lab as a part-time laboratory technician and intends to further her education as a graduate student, hopefully working on a project that will give insight into the bioenergetics of animals living in environmental extremes.