Portrait of Marina Elliot
Mentor: 
Dr. Dan Rockey
Hometown: 
Beaverton, OR
Major: 
Microbiology

I am fascinated by animals that others find scary like snakes, sharks, and bats. I care for several koi fish who swim with personality. They kept me busy this summer when they had babies. We had to move the fry to a separate tank so the parents didn’t eat them. One of my favorite animal experiences was visiting the Australia Zoo because I was able to visit the animals inside their enclosures. I walked among lemurs, petted kangaroos, and fed emus. They had an adorable red panda and a cockatoo that said “Hello” in an Aussie accent. When I started thinking about careers, I gravitated toward veterinary medicine because of the connection between science and healing animals.
When I’m not studying biology, you can find me playing saxophone in the OSU marching band. I’m so excited to start my journey at Oregon State University!