Where are they now? A Spotlight on Previous Interns - Tami LaPilusa!
/Today, we are excited to introduce the lovely and accomplished Tami LaPilusa!
Jason Morrison, Tami (Ohlin) LaPilusa, Earl the dog, and Matt LaPilusa (yes, they got married!)
Tami worked as an intern at Forfar field station from September 1996 to June 1998. Her ties to Forfar and IFS are still strong today. Tami conducts research which started with her graduate degree and continues in her current faculty position at SUNY Oneonta. Her research emphasizes conservation and sustainable management for crab species in the Bahamas, including the Christmas Island blue crab, Discoplax celeste, and the blue land crab, Cardisoma guanhumi Latreille.
She recently presented her research at the Bahamas Natural History Conference in 2016 and 2018.
Watch her presentation from 2016 here: Crab Pen Survey & Harvest Analysis of the Land Crab
During her internship at Forfar, Tami emphasized the skills she learned, from flexibility, adaptability, public speaking, SCUBA, watercraft operations & maintenance, to the ability to work collaboratively with others who may not share her views. She fondly recalls her relationship with local community members and the lasting friendships amongst her fellow interns.
Since her internship, Tami has held leadership positions in many organizations including her role as program director for the Boys and Girls Club. She was also the office manager for IFS at the Florida office. Currently, she is on the biology faculty at SUNY Oneonta.
In her free time, she continues to travel to different islands in The Bahamas. Her hobbies include beach exploration, hiking, and camping.
IFS loves working in collaboration with Tami, and we are excited to share her research with you! Follow the link below to learn more about Tami's work:
Click on the images to scroll through!
