Process Log Entry: 10/27 10/31

Goals From Last Week

Last week I prepared to have my mentor meeting. During our conference, we discussed my
revised research paper and possible products. This went over well and is described more in the
mentor section. I also finished my research paper and turned it in on time. I didnt research
missing information in my research paper yet, because there wasnt too much that I didnt have
and I am waiting for my peer review to come in. Also I wanted to find another invasive species
that affects coral reefs and I learned that the Mycale Grandis Orange sponge is becoming a
problem.


Mentor
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss my revised research outline, my research paper rough
draft, and my product proposal. During the meeting we discussed how I set up my new research
outline. She said that the new format (input vs. output) was much better, but I should put cement
fillings with oil spills rather than with harmful fishing techniques. She also sent me some
primary source documents for lionfish, orange sponges and ghost fishing. I then told her that the
product I thought of would be to create a biodegradable net. This product would have a large
effect to eliminate ghost fishing and pollution in the ocean. Next, I told her my second idea
would be to create an artificial reef. My mentor then discussed the different types of artificial
reefs: the reefball and the eco-reef. The reefball is harder and more complex but not developed as
well as the eco-reef. Eco-reefs more realistically resemble real coral reefs, because they have
complex branching colonies. So, she told me that building a larger, more cost effective reefball
would be a good product. Next I told her my research paper was due on Monday and that would
be what I would be working on over the weekend. Finally, she told me that two more invasive
species that affect coral reefs are the Hawaii gracillaria and Orange Mycale armata sponge.


Research
This week I didnt do much extensive research, because I was focused on working on my
product proposal as well as finishing my peer review for another students research paper.
However, I went over some of the documents that my mentor emailed me after our meeting. One
of the articles was about ghost fishing and the article talked about how ghost fishing became a
large problem in the late 1980s. The Food and Agriculture Corporation deemed ghost fishing as
one of the most seriously negative influences on the fishing industry. Another article she sent me
was about lionfish and it discussed the first sightings of lionfish in various islands such as Cuba,
Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.


Goals for Next Week
Next week I am going to turn in my product proposal and wait to see if it will be approved or
not. I also want to look and read more in-depth to the articles that my mentor sent me, because I
did not do that this week. If my product proposal is approved then I will begin researching how
to turn my product into a reality. Finally, my second teacher-student individual conference is on
Tuesday so I will have to prepare what to discuss during that meeting.