Looking to make a SPLASh in the industry post-graduation?    

Wondering what kinds of things students who graduate from TAMUG do? Some work at NASA, others work for shipping companies, and Kiara Carrasco, Marine Biology class of 2024, has gone on to do something that she is both passionate about and that she is well-experienced with.

SPLASh is a project dedicated to working in the greater Houston and Galveston area that focuses on “coastal conservation, education, and outreach,” Carrasco specified. It was created by Blackcat GIS, American Bird Conservancy, and Gulf Coast Bird Observatory.

The SPLASh project does many beach cleanup projects, assesses events to ensure they are conservation-friendly, and provides field trips and lessons. 

Carrasco, Conservation Fellow with the American Bird Conservancy, states that her favorite part of working at SPLASh is that she “gets to work with many different groups around Galveston, people of different backgrounds.”. Something she did in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies is being very involved in the community, happy to continue doing something that she loved.

When asked how Texas A&M University Galveston (TAMUG) may have prepared her for her current position, she stated that she “took full advantage of the opportunities available at TAMUG” and that “heavy student involvement” proved to be extremely valuable. 

She has been involved in various roles such as student body president, research presentations, and SALT Camp director, to name a few. She emphasized that they “were a big help learning the soft skills and professionalism” that she uses every day. She also mentioned the valuable connections she established with the faculty and staff at TAMUG. 

She noted that Briana Zabawa, the current Marine Biology advisor, was a former student who had asked her to volunteer and lead a marine debris site with her. Carrasco cited this as a pivotal moment in the development of her career and the connections she forged through a seemingly simple and straightforward act of volunteering.

SPLASh is a project focused upon the sustainability of the Houston and Galveston region. They do so through outreach programs, lessons, cleanups, and more. 

Their next event is March 11, 2025 and is called “Nest Fest.”. Carrasco stated that “students really need to pay attention to volunteering, but the people you meet and the network you will build from volunteering is worth so much more than what you may even find at an internship.”.

If you would like to learn more about what SPLASh is about, feel free to email Kiara Carrasco at kiaracarrasco@abcbirds.org