Arona Bender is a PhD candidate in the Marine Science and Conservation program at Duke University Marine Lab. Her research focuses on the ecology, behavior, and conservation of sea turtles. Prior to starting her PhD, she received a B.S degree in Biological Sciences from Georgia State University, followed by a M.S degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University as a NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC) graduate fellow.