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Meet the 2022 FOWA

Scholarship Winners

Seventeen applications representing 7 Florida academic institutions were reviewed by FOWA member
judges. “These individuals demonstrate the scholastic merit, career achievements, and vocation that
most closely align with FOWA ideals of outdoor communication accrding to Florida Sea Grant Specialist
and chair of the FOWA scholarship committee. They impressed the scholarship committee with their
ability to communicate to a wide variety of audiences by bridging their academic interests and love for
the outdoors through journalistic writing, storytelling and digital media.”

Clark Morgan is a developing fisheries oceanographer and photojournalist
stationed at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic
Institute in Ft. Pierce, Florida. He was born and raised in Orlando, Florida
and spent long weekends and holidays in the Florida Keys, mesmerized
by the marine life and fueled by a passion for underwater photography.
He followed his fascination with the underwater realm to Florida State
University to complete his BSc in Biology and then to the University
of North Florida for his MSc in Biology, with a focus on coastal shark
resource use and population dynamics. His pursuit of photography and
scientific contributions have taken him around the world to Australia and

Clark Morgan, 2022 FOWA Scholar now regularly to The Bahamas with the non-profit shark research group
Saving The Blue (www.savingtheblue.com). His current dissertation
research focuses on the Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara),
an enigmatic species at the heart of current conservation controversy.
While much of my proposed research focuses on movement ecology,
fisheries interactions and implications of this species, my interests as
an underwater photographer are providing another path to increase the
power of my perspective by allowing me to connect to the experiences of
the diving ecotourism industry. Therefore, he is trying to use photography
to bridge the gap between science and public perception. (Instagram: @
seamorephotography)

Alex Butler is a senior at The University of Tampa, pursuing a degree in
Environmental Science with minors in Marine Biology, Sustainability, and
Journalism. As a Florida native, she grew up surfing, paddle boarding, and
snorkeling and quickly developed a passion for ocean conservation. After
seeing first-hand how many other people did not care about protecting
the environment or wildlife, she became determined to communicate her
passion to others. Currently, she is conducting research on hammerhead
shark morphology and serves as the editor-in-chief of The University
of Tampa’s student newspaper. The combination of her degrees has
culminated in working with local organizations such as Blue Green

Alex Butler, 2022 FOWA Scholar Connections, where she has developed a field guide app for Florida’s Gulf
Coast. Alex aims to continue to educate and motivate others to care for
the ocean through a combination of science, writing, digital media, and
environmental policy.
Website: https://alexbutlerjournalism.wixsite.com/portfolio