From landlocked to ocean breeze: Georgia Southern graduate chased his dream across the country
Growing up in Wyoming, Wil Atencio spent much of his time outdoors. Whether with friends or family, he was driven to explore and protect the ecosystems around him, but he always had a curiosity to explore beyond the borders of his landlocked home state. This December, Atencio transformed that childhood passion for nature into a future in marine ecology focused on preservation and restoration by completing his master鈥檚 in biology through the College of Science and Mathematics at 糖心Vlog.
鈥淚 used to go hiking, fishing, and rock climbing with my brother and my family, but I was really curious about all of the life happening around me,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淭he interconnectedness of different species and the biodiversity was inspiring to me.鈥
While he always loved nature, it was his first visit to the Pacific Ocean that would ultimately direct his future path.
鈥淚 visited the ocean with my family in Oregon for the first time and I just fell in love with the coast there,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a certain complexity happening in a marine environment, and I think not being able to explore that early on made me determined to better understand it. I had experience with a variety of terrestrial jobs, but it always felt like something was missing. I wanted to go beyond that experience and get a better understanding of the marine environment as well.鈥
After completing his undergraduate degree in zoology at the University of Wyoming, Atencio earned a place in the graduate biology program at Georgia Southern where he enjoyed a freedom he hadn鈥檛 found to be an option at other institutions: the chance to determine his own research. This opportunity was even more exciting for Atencio because it placed him just a short drive away from the coastal habitats he was so eager to investigate.
鈥淚t isn鈥檛 just general biology that people are studying at Georgia Southern,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredibly diverse program. There are people, like me, studying marine ecology, people conducting molecular work or working with terrestrial plants, animals and insects. The diversity is what drew me here. It gave me the opportunity to really explore my interests and direct my own research instead of just being told what I would study.鈥
Funded through the , Atencio鈥檚 multi-year research focused on oysters, an integral part of the estuary ecosystems on the coast of Georgia and other states.
鈥淚 did my field research on Sapelo Island,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淭he has a system-wide monitoring program that tracks water quality. They have a similar system for tracking weather. I had an idea to leverage this data to better understand how environmental factors are influencing oyster population dynamics and diseases.鈥
The impact of his research reaches beyond simple estuary health, it also has the potential to impact new forms of aquaculture.
鈥淥ysters are important,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淭hey provide a multitude of ecosystem services that are essential for healthy estuaries and we want to maintain that health. This research gives us a better understanding of how our restoration efforts can be successful, but there鈥檚 another side to this too. The state of Georgia recently opened leases for aquaculture which faces challenges with threats like diseases and placement of lease sites that are optimal for oyster growth. My research can help us understand current risks to better predict and protect oyster habitats, keeping systems healthy for farmers.鈥
In a full circle moment for Atencio, he had the opportunity to return to Oregon to present his research at a conference in Portland.
鈥淢aybe it’s just fate, but of all of the conferences I attended, the was the one that really stuck with me,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淚t was so stressful leading up to the conference because I was preparing for my first-ever oral presentation and it felt like everything was going wrong. But then I gave the presentation and I just remember feeling very satisfied with all of my hard work afterward. I didn鈥檛 really think about it before, but it鈥檚 really cool now to recognize the connection between such an important professional moment and where it all began.鈥
In addition to the experience he gained through research and conference presentations, building connections proved to be another valuable part of his graduate school experience.
鈥淚 was told going into grad school that you鈥檙e not picking a school, you鈥檙e picking an advisor, and I felt that connection with mine from the first interview,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淏ut there were other connections who made a significant difference in my experience too. When I needed extra hands for my research over the summer, my friends were there to help. This last semester was challenging, but the support of the friend group that I was able to make here has been something that鈥檚 really special to me and that is going to be with me throughout the rest of my life.鈥
Building connections beyond the classroom also helped Atencio take the next step in his educational journey by securing a position at the University of Virginia.
鈥淪tarting in January, I will be managing a marine biology lab at the University of Virginia,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淚 will be helping manage a team of undergraduates and working with the principal investigator on his research along with other graduate and Ph.D. students, which I鈥檓 really excited about. I connected with the professor I鈥檒l be working with at one of my conferences. I think it really got my foot in the door to talk with him in person and connect before this opportunity was even available.鈥
While Atencio is excited for this next step in his career, he knows it won鈥檛 be the end of his journey.
鈥淚 think this opportunity is a great stepping stone for where I want to get to in the future,鈥 Atencio said. 鈥淢y dream is to work in marine management and restoration and I really want to continue to be part of work with real-world applications. The goal of my research has been to understand how it can be implemented to maximize success in protecting coastal ecosystems, and I want to keep doing that. I鈥檓 not sure what agency I鈥檒l end up at, but I鈥檓 excited to see where the future takes me.鈥