Kara Hall

Kara is from the landlocked state of Indiana and developed a love for the ocean at a young age. Being so far from the ocean, she satisfied her longing by reading. In high school, Kara’s interest in ecology was triggered by an environmental sciences course. It motivated her to pursue a degree in Environmental Management at Indiana University (IU). During her freshman year at IU, Kara began taking scuba diving classes through the Office of Underwater Science. Her first scientific diving experience was at an underwater archaeology field school in the Dominican Republic. Continuing her interest in underwater cultural resources, Kara began working in the National Geographic Archaeology Lab in The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. There she learned conservation techniques for maritime artifacts. The next summer, Kara returned to the Dominican Republic to lead a team of student divers to document the growth rates of recruited corals on cast-iron cannons. Additionally, Kara learned the basics of aquarium husbandry as an intern at the Great Barrier Reef exhibit at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Currently, Kara is a junior at IU, expects to have a successful career in marine conservation, and hopes to continue to explore the sea while scuba diving.