When we hear the term “marine biology,” many of us don’t associate it with daring feats like swimming with sharks. This, however, is exactly what Dayanne Raffoul, a fourth-year student in biology, did. Raffoul spent two CO-OP terms in Brazil with the Rural Federal University of Pernambuco under the supervision of Paulo Oliveira and Fabio Hazin, working in fish reproductive biology and was involved in shark tagging.
“The area where I worked has a high number of shark attacks. As students, we were required to learn how to do shark tagging, which is the method used to track sharks for matters of research, and in the process ensure that they are kept away from the shorelines,” explains Raffoul. According to her, this entailed five days at sea shark tagging, such as the nurse and bull sharks.
She describes her first encounter with a lemon shark as both frightening and fascinating. “I got out of the water immediately and got teased about it by my colleagues, however, it was mesmerizing,” she says.
To add to her experience, Raffoul got to spend a month at one of Brazil’s biological reserves, the Reserva Biologica do Atol das Rocas under the supervision of Maurizelia de Brito. This coveted experience allowed her to update a catalogue of the species on this secluded island. According to Raffoul, despite the hostile conditions, the proximity to so much marine life was the best part of her CO-OP experience.
Not surprising, photos documenting her experience were breathtaking, a sentiment shared by the judges of a CO-OP photo contest that later awarded her first prize. “Initially I was reluctant to send any photos. However, when I went to the Reserve and was surrounded by some of the most rare marine species, I could not wait to take photos and show others how amazing the place was,” Raffoul says.
For Raffoul, CO-OP allowed her to live out her lifelong dream of practising marine biology. “For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a marine biologist, and although [marine biology is] not offered at uOttawa, I have been able to experience what it’s like working in the field,” she says. “I am now more certain that this is a path I want to pursue and I will be going on to do my master’s.”
The University of Ottawa Cooperative Education Programs are accredited by the Canadian Association for Cooperative Education (CAFCE) www.cafce.ca. This story was originally published in uOttawa’s Gazette.
