Gidal Williams
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
Short-term Fellow: July - September 2025
Mentored by Dr. Lauren Olinger & Doug Wilson, University of the Virgin Islands
When I joined the Navigating Home Fellowship, I wasn’t sure how my background in math and physics would connect with marine science. But over the past few months, I’ve discovered just how much my skills can contribute to solving environmental challenges here in the Virgin Islands.
With Dr. Olinger, I worked hands-on with autonomous marine robots—rewiring, soldering, and testing them so they could capture 3D images of coral reefs. I had never soldered a wire before, and learning to repair these machines gave me skills I never imagined I’d gain. Some weeks everything seemed to go wrong but pushing through the setbacks taught me patience and problem-solving in ways the classroom never could.
I also worked with Doug Wilson in the UVI Ocean Glider Lab on modeling the drift of Sargassum seaweed, a growing issue in our territory. Writing code in Python to simulate how Sargassum moves through our waters was tough—it took me weeks to get it right. But once it worked, it felt incredible to know I was creating something that could actually make a difference for our islands. That work has even been accepted for presentation at the CERF Conference—the first time I’ll ever present at a national conference. For me, that’s a huge milestone.
Along the way, I strengthened my technical skills in coding, robotics, and electronics, and I also earned my Mental Health First Aid certification. Both the technical and personal growth I gained during this fellowship will stay with me as I move forward.
Beyond the skills, this fellowship opened my eyes to the importance of environmental care in ways I hadn’t considered before. I realized how much effort goes into protecting corals, mangroves, and our coastal ecosystems, and I want to keep contributing to that work. Without this experience, I probably would’ve taken a job just to make money. Instead, I now see a future where I can blend engineering, math, and environmental science to make a real impact in my community.
My advice to future fellows? Be patient. The first weeks might feel frustrating but keep at it. Progress will come – and it’s worth it.
