Austin Wise

Austin was born and raised in the city of the blues, Memphis, TN. At a young age, his love for animals became apparent, as 90% of his toy collection consisted of creatures from every biome. Austin started college at the University of Missouri studying journalism, but after his freshman year he decided to follow his childhood passions and transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University to complete a bachelor’s in marine science. While studying at FGCU, Austin gained experience in research involving microplastic pollution and Karenia brevis (red tide) concentrations in Southwest Florida waters alongside Dr. Puspa Adhikari.

Sanibel is a special place to Austin, as he grew up vacationing on the island every summer with his family. After graduating, he wanted to stay in the area and was thrilled to receive a job at Sanibel Sea School in the summer of 2022. He enjoys educating future generations about our blue planet.