Capstone: Otter Slideshow
March 2026 – June 2026
Overview
The Aquarium of the Bay is a non-profit organization located on San Francisco’s Pier 39. The Aquarium is dedicated to the protection and conservation of marine life and the education of its visitors. Many of the animals in its care are classified as “endangered” or “at risk.” At the Aquarium, I volunteered as an education docent for a little over a year.
The Task
Alongside my work as a docent, I updated the Aquarium’s Otter Slideshow, which is responsible for informing and educating guests about North American River Otters when there isn’t a staff or volunteer at the otter exhibit. The slideshow has been outdated for nine years, meaning that everyone in the last several years has been both misinformed and potentially malinformed.
Research
After some online digging and some informal interviews with staff, I learned what I needed to include on our Otter Slides, including but not limited to, Otter Biology, Behind-the-scenes Care, Otter Ecology, and Otter Conservation. In addition to my research, I analyzed our current slides for its shortcomings and its merits.
Process
While building the slideshow, I stayed in contact with our otter biologists, getting feedback and photos from their team. I went through a number of iterations, asked staff and guests for feedback, and constantly made small changes to formatting and photos to improve it based on their needs.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges I ran into while working on these slides was getting the pictures I needed from our photography lead. Because only the otter biologists and animal care teams are allowed in the otters’ behind-the-scenes exhibit, the photography lead wasn’t able to get the picture I needed. To overcome this, I asked if I could get the biologists to stage a photo and also send some photos they took of the otters.
Reflection
Ultimately this project was extremely satisfying because I took being an education docent to another level to update the foundational methods of education for the Aquarium, impacting the millions of visitors at the Aquarium. Through this project, I strengthened my skills in self‑advocacy, professional communication, and the thoughtful application of iterative methodology.