- Shane Ihme
- UNC-Chapel Hill
I grew up in the small, rural town of Rosman in the mountains of North Carolina. I graduated first in my close-knit class of 82. The first great academic opportunity occurred during my junior year where I attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. During a mini-term trip to Belize, CA I became intrigued with coral reef ecosystems and marine science. I went back to graduate from Rosman in order to play football and basketball under the coaching of my father, and to restore a 1973 MG Midget as a senior project with my grandfather as my mentor. I decided to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Chris Martens' freshman seminar class discussing "Changes in the Undersea World" advanced my interest in marine science, and I quickly began inquiring about how I could get involved. In late May of this year I became SCUBA and AAUS certified. Working on projects at Cape Lookout, NC and Key Largo, Fl, I have gained invaluable experience going into my sophomore year at UNC.
On the fun side of things, I love to dance at inappropriate times underwater, make faces at Katie, race on the seafloor bottom without fins against Charlie, become a human jukebox, and make strange noises as sound effects to all situations. I am on the club volleyball team at UNC, I am addicted to chocolate and mountain dew, I am determined never to grow up, and when asked what I am doing I answer: "Gosh, whatever I feel like!" I would like to thank all those who have helped me get where I am today, and I am excited to be working as surface support for this Aquarius mission.
