#SlugStories 🌊🌊 "To be able to be part of [this research] first hand is something that is really unique and important. I can take that back and tell my family and tell my sisters and they almost don’t believe it. I didn’t grow up near the beach or anything like that so this is something that a lot of people don’t know is a career path.” ___ Can a drone weigh an elephant seal? UC Santa Cruz undergrad Diana Alvarado (Merrill ‘19, marine biology) has been developing a method for estimating elephant seal weight from drone photographs which could expand the way marine biologists measure these giant creatures. Alvarado plans to pursue a career in which she can continue researching marine mammals and introduce other students from underrepresented backgrounds to field research. ____ #ucsc #ucsantacruz #undergrad #research #undergradresearch #undergradinthelab #marinebiology #studentprofile