Nika Blank is a two-time alumna of Florida State University’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, part of the College of Arts and Sciences. She graduated with a bachelor’s in environmental science in 2019 and a master’s in biological oceanography in 2021. As an undergraduate, Blank was a member of the women’s swimming and diving team — a skillset that directly translated into her graduate research studies through her certification as an American Academy of Underwater Sciences-certified scientific diver. Blank’s diving played a key role in her master’s thesis, “Spatial and Temporal Variation in Hardbottom Coral Communities on the Coastal West Florida Shelf (WFS),” a study surveying the gorgonians, stony corals, and sponges of the hardbottom coral communities on the coastal west Florida shelf. Blank received various awards throughout her academic career, including the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory Board of Trustees Graduate Research Scholarship, the Southern Association of Marine Laboratories Student Research Support Award and the AAUS Foundation Scholarship. Currently, she works as a teaching assistant at the Hun School of Princeton, a private boarding school that teaches grades 6-12.

Where are you from? What brought you to FSU?

I’m originally from New Jersey. I swam competitively for my high school and was recruited to attend FSU on a swimming scholarship. I loved the atmosphere of the campus and the opportunities and support available for students.

What inspired you to pursue biological oceanography and marine biology?

Just before I started at FSU, I was riding in a car on a highway. I remember looking out of the window and thinking, "This used to all be forest." At one point there were no cars and no road, just an untouched area filled with trees. It was something that made sense and that I had learned about in science classes, but at that moment I had this new understanding of how much humans have altered the planet. Since then, I have always been interested in how the natural world has changed and how we can preserve it for the future.

What aspect of your area of study do you find most fascinating? What are some exciting projects and goals you are working on?

I was drawn to the ocean because of the mysteries hidden under the surface. There are so many new discoveries to be made because only 5 percent of Earth’s oceans have been explored. Even easy-to-access parts of the oceans have not been fully studied. FSU’s Coastal and Marine Lab is situated on the Florida Panhandle with access to the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. This area has not been as thoroughly studied as other parts of the oceans or other parts of the Gulf of Mexico. There are some exciting processes and communities here that go overlooked. Fortunately, researchers at the CML are conducting studies in this area, including in the Apalachicola Bay oyster reefs. I’m finishing a project surveying and describing the hard bottom coral communities in this area, identifying how they vary from similar communities further south.

You currently work as a teaching assistant at the Hun School of Princeton. What is that experience like, and how does it tie into your research?

Teaching is something that I've always enjoyed. Knowledge and education, especially in science, are so important for shaping a student's character and thought process. Reflecting on thoughts, questioning, listening and forming opinions are skills learned in classrooms that are used every day. These skills are built from science education and are used when conducting research. I hope to be a student for the rest of my life and aim to impart these same skills to my students as an educator.

Your status as an AAUS-certified scientific diver played a large role in research you conducted as a graduate student. How did diving impact your field research experience?

I received my AAUS certification through the dive program at the FSU Panama City campus, and certification was critical to conducting my research, as all the data was required to be collected underwater. My ability to collect this data was all thanks to the CML resources, including the small boat fleet, the Academic Dive Program and wonderful people at the marine lab that helped me with my research.

How did your time at FSU prepare you for academic and professional success?

When I reflect on my time at FSU, the people stand out. The support I received from staff and faculty in the EOAS department and the CML was incredible. The faculty are passionate about their own research and about shaping and guiding new scientists. Every assignment I had as a graduate student was directly tied to my professional or academic development. With this support network, I always felt like I could ask questions, make mistakes and learn from them.

Are there any faculty or staff members who helped or inspired you during your time at FSU?

My adviser, FSU Research Faculty Dr. Sandra Brooke. Over the course of two-and-a-half years, Sandra helped me shape and carry out my research project and always encouraged me to ask questions and build skills that increased my confidence as a scientist. I remain inspired by Sandra and her passion for her work and students. I’m thankful to have had her as my adviser. Also, Diving Safety Officer Chris Peters and Lead Research Assistant Cullen Morris (as well as my lab mates Randi, Adam and Anthony) were enormously helpful when it came to field work.

What are some of your favorite experiences from your time at FSU?

Watching the sunrise over the pool at the end of morning practice with my swimming teammates, diving in the beautiful coral reef communities off the CML and walking my pup to all the different campus fountains.

What advice do you have for students?

Ask questions. Whether it's on a lecture, an experience you can learn from, or to get to know someone better — ask. Showing you are engaged and interested in what another person has to say builds lasting professional and personal relationships.