Sarai Hutchinson

2023-2025 Graduate Fellow

Sarai Hutchinson is embarking on an exciting journey with her thesis proposal, which focuses on using crushed glass and Sargassum seaweed to grow red mangroves in a land-based nursery. With the guidance of her mentor, Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes, Sarai is gaining valuable insights into the complexities and challenges of mangrove restoration. This project is more than just research; it’s part of a larger mission in mangrove monitoring and restoration and repurposing waste and nuisance species. 

Some highlights of Sarai's fellowship are engaging with the community through classroom sessions, educational displays and mangrove cleanups. She loves witnessing the joy on students’ faces when they visit the lab for tours or when they participate in outplanting mangroves. What truly excites Sarai is the chance to be outdoors, immersed in nature while helping to restore vital coastlines. 

This fellowship is a pivotal opportunity for Sarai as it opens doors to hands-on experience in the field and presents networking opportunities that are crucial for her future. These experiences help to build a foundation for a career in restorative aquaculture. By the end of this fellowship, she hopes to carve a path that seamlessly transitions her into this field, aligning perfectly with her passion for environmental restoration and sustainability.