糖心Vlog

Amber Monroe, a 2016 糖心Vlog graduate who earned a B.S. in biology, settled into the dramatic landscapes of Iceland earlier this year to pursue graduate research and fulfill a childhood dream. 鈥淎s a kid, I was fascinated with Norse mythology and always wanted to come to Iceland,鈥� said Monroe. After graduation she went on to work as a high school teacher and took her first trip to the Land of Fire and Ice in April 2017. 鈥淚 fell in love with it and knew it was where I wanted to be for this next chapter of my life.鈥� The following year she applied to the master鈥檚 program at H贸lar University College in northern Iceland. 聽Accepted into the program, Monroe began her graduate studies in May and is currently conducting research in the field of aquaculture. Her experiments are designed to better understand the growth and metabolism of lumpfish, economically important coldwater fish that help control sea lice (a parasitic crustacean) in aquaculture facilities where fish are raised. 鈥淟umpfish are actually a new species to me, and I hadn鈥檛 heard of them until I started applying for universities in Iceland,鈥� she said. 鈥淗贸lar has conducted research with lumpfish in the past, so the experiment I am working on is a continuation of that research.鈥� Monroe says there aren鈥檛 many differences between her new home campus and Georgia Southern鈥檚 Statesboro campus, but one of the biggest is class size. 鈥淭he campus is much smaller than GSU鈥檚 campus,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I like how at both universities you can get to know people on a personal level and everyone is willing to help each other.鈥� Although Monroe is attempting to learn Icelandic, her program at H贸lar is internationally diverse. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fairly normal to be sitting at the lunch table and hear conversations in English, Icelandic, French, Dutch and German,鈥� said Monroe. Attending a small college on a sparsely populated island means that life is 鈥渕ore laid back鈥� than in the U.S., and Monroe finds that socializing with fellow students to stay active is important. 鈥淥ne big difference is the importance of heated geothermal pools in Iceland,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey are big meeting places where people go to hang out and relax, and we usually go a few times a week.鈥� As a Georgia native Monroe says that the snow flurries aren鈥檛 what鈥檚 making her nervous about the approaching winter season. 鈥淚 think winter in H贸lar will be a substantial change from Georgia,鈥� she noted. 鈥淚 am less nervous about the snow and more so about the darkness. During the winter, we will only get a few hours of sunlight a day. However, my friends here have offered advice on what to do during the winter. Social clubs that ski, knit or home brew are vital to getting through the winter.鈥� While Monroe鈥檚 time in Iceland will ultimately help her complete professional goals, she finds the cross-cultural experience to be just as important. 鈥淭here are opportunities across the globe,鈥� she noted. 鈥淪tudents should explore their options and see what is out there.鈥� 糖心Vlog, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit.