In her free time, CEI student, Ella Armbruster spends time in the near the ocean and marine resources she is dedicated to protect. Image by Ella Armbruster.
“When I was younger, I remember paddling and swimming out on Jupiter Beach, when all of a sudden I’d feel the weird, slimy stuff on the ground. It turned out to be seagrass.”
Ella Armbruster grew up near the Indian River Lagoon. Once uneasy around the ribbon-like plant, she is now on a mission to protect the grass-like aquatic plant.
Ella, a University of Florida student studying environmental science and zoology, is the 2025 Florida Sea Grant Community Engaged Intern. In her role, she will be supporting the Eyes on Seagrass program in the Indian River Lagoon region. Her work will include conducting seagrass surveys, creating educational resources, and helping engage community science volunteers.
Eyes on Seagrass is a participatory science program that empowers volunteers to monitor and report on seagrass health. It began in Charlotte Harbor in 2019 and has since expanded statewide. The data collected helps scientists track changes in seagrass and make informed decisions about management and restoration efforts. Sea Grant agents in the Indian River Lagoon region recently launched the program locally, and Ella will play a key role in engaging new volunteers and supporting this expansion.
“I grew up next to a drainage canal that emptied into the ocean, and I started learning how excess nitrogen and phosphorus from runoff can cause algal blooms and hurt seagrass. That is why I’m really looking forward to engaging the public about seagrass health in their community,” Ella says. “If I were trying to learn about an environmental issue in my own backyard, a science degree should not be required for the answer. That’s why communicating science in plain language matters so much.”
Armbruster using a quadrat to estimate seagrass coverage. Image by Ella Armbuster.
Ella sees herself as a curious learner, actively exploring a range of academic interests and seeking out hands-on experiences. She’s taken pollinator and entomology courses and has a particular interest in honey bees. She’s also participated in reef surveys and other field-based science projects that have deepened her understanding of environmental systems.
“I did a lot of beach and science camps growing up. I participated in a biology immersion program where I studied mangrove survival after they were buried by sand during Hurricane Irma. That experience showed me how many different types of scientists contribute to understanding complex ecosystems. It really opened my eyes to how interconnected science is,” Ella says.
Now based at the Martin County UF/IFAS Extension Office, Ella has already had opportunities to interact with other resource professionals whose work connects to seagrass health. This includes Master Gardeners, who promote sustainable landscaping practices and alternatives to fertilizing lawns, which can have a big impact on water quality and the health of nearby seagrass meadows.
Later this summer, she will travel to Wilmington, North Carolina, for a four-day in-person field experience with other Sea Grant Community Engaged Interns. The trip will include visits to state environmental agencies, hands-on community fieldwork, and scientific presentations. It’s designed to expose interns to diverse career pathways in freshwater, coastal, and marine resource management across the southeastern U.S.
“I’m looking forward to learning through fieldwork, making connections, and learning how to talk about science with others, including friends and family, as I figure out what path I might take after undergrad.”
