The 2022 ACE in Place Thailand team is working with Shark Guardian to encourage South African Airways to ban the transportation of shark fins on their flights. The ACE team is creating tweets, emails, infographics, and blogs for Shark Guardian’s social media. We are working with the hope that our efforts will result in SAA taking action.
In order to successfully do this, the goal is to spread the message and create as much awareness around the issue as possible. We are also making a strong effort to show the displeasure we have towards those who run SAA for continuing to support such a horrific venture. Over the course of the first week, we have completed a first draft of all the content we aim to employ. In addition to this, we have immersed ourselves within Thai culture by learning about Buddhism and cooking homemade Krapow, a Thai dish.
Isabela “Bela” Onyshko
Hi all! I am a rising junior on the Stanford Women’s Gymnastics team, and I am majoring in civil engineering. My passion for environmental sustainability and conservation is what led me to ACE in Place Thailand. I am really excited to help make more people aware of how important sharks are to our environment and the world through this program. It feels like the actions we are taking through ACE in Place Thailand will excite people to become more involved in shark conservation. The highlight for me so far has been getting to know my colleagues and working with them to create the backbone of an exciting and impactful project.
Connor Krug
I am a rising sophomore at Duke University. I play on the Men’s Tennis team, and I am majoring in Political Science, minoring in Economics, and completing the Innovation & Entrepreneurship certificate. I am extremely excited to work in this ACE program by making a meaningful impact within animal conservation. I have always had a passion for sharks and the work we are doing with Shark Guardian will certainly prove beneficial. I have enjoyed learning more about Thailand and its culture. Getting to know and collaborate with my fellow ACE participants has been nothing short of a pleasure.
Taylor Ruck
Hi everyone! I’m a rising senior on the Stanford Women’s Swim Team. I’m pursuing a BS in Human Biology with a concentration in Developmental Neurobiology and Foundations of Personalized Medicine. The past week with ACE has been filled with so many different activities including values setting, learning about Thai culture, and generating ideas on how to effectively ban shark fin transport on major airlines. All these new experiences are exactly why I wanted to work with ACE in the first place, so I am excited to see what the next two weeks will bring! The virtual element has allowed me to also spend quality time with my brother and dad in Alaska, something I’ve been super grateful for. The program highlight for me so far was observing how my values have changed from the last time I listed them out a year ago. It is a beautiful exercise that can track personal growth, reveal the uniqueness of our dispositions, and give direction towards future goals.