Liam Smith ’26 spent two weeks on a boat off the Long Island coast this summer conducting shark research.
The ocean is a popular destination for summer vacation, whether swimming in the water, laying on the warm sand, or just relaxing with family and friends. But for Columbia High School senior Liam Smith ’26, his experience was a bit more adventurous.
Smith spent two weeks in July on a boat off the coast of Montauk, Long Island participating in a Shark Camp. He was conducting field research for his Columbia Science Research project “Man’s Many Effects on One of Earth’s Oldest Creatures: Sharks and Their Fleeting Populations.”
It was a hands-on experience for Smith as he reeled in sharks, tagged them, and released them back into the water. The data from tagging is used to understand the status of fish populations in Long Island waters and to protect the future of marine life.
“I got to learn so much about the field research process along with information on how they extract data and where it goes,” Smith said.
The Shark Camp is sponsored by the O’Seas Conservation Foundation, which integrates shark conservation efforts with youth education. Because this was Smith’s second year at Shark Camp, he was able to perform some counselor duties such as using the boat’s radar.
“Shark Camp has given me so much information about the professional research that is done,” he said. “It gives me a new perspective on the information I’m using in my project and lets me take into account things I wouldn’t have ever considered.”
Smith’s experience at Shark Camp this summer will help him continue to develop his Science Research project at Columbia.
“Liam is the perfect example of what is possible in this program,” said Columbia Science Teacher Heidi Gleason who coordinates the Science Research program. “He made Shark Camp a possibility through his reading and hard work and when given the opportunity he maximized what he could learn and what skills he could develop. His dream of spending his life doing this work is something he now sees as possible!”
About the Columbia Science Research Program
Columbia’s Science Research Program is a three-year program in which students select an area of interest, learn literature research skills, present articles, and work with a professional mentor.
The Science Research program accepts applications from freshmen every spring. The application includes an essay, two teacher recommendations (at least one from a science teacher) and a 1-on-1 interview with Mrs. Gleason.