dinator. “Some of the kids went to the gift shop. Many manta ray stu ed animals were purchased!” A smile beamed across Vinesky’s face, and soon it gave way to tears — the kind that trickle when you realize that, truly, your work is making a positive di erence. Vinesky works in the ocean, the lab and everywhere in between to help save endangered rays and sharks. An Ohio native, she was drawn to OSU because of its expertise in fisheries,wildlife and conservation sciences. She has traveled the globe to contribute to the cause — before, after and during earning a bachelor’s degree online. Swimming with giant mantas is thrilling. The hard science is challenging. But educating children and others might be Vinesky’s sweet spot — and it could be how she makes the biggest impact. “As scientists, we talk a lot about the biodiversity crisis, but less about the science communication crisis,” she said.“Scientific literature is, by design, challenging to digest. This creates barriers between scientific research and the general public that are crucial to break.” This is the impetus behind The Mantaverse (themantaverse.com/explore), an educational, immersive digital platform Vinesky is creating to help increase ocean literacy and establish ecological baselines for a potential new species of manta ray in the Mexican Caribbean. Endorsed by the United Nations, The Mantaverse will consist of artistic, interactive virtual exhibits that allow users to engage with science in hands-on ways. It will teach people, for example, that mantas live long lives and form complex social relationships. Users will also catch glimpses of their awe-inspiring presence. “Imagine an underwater kite, except the kite has a 15-foot wingspan and is staring at you,” said Vinesky, a former Fulbright Scholar who just earned her master’s degree at El Instituto Politécnico Nacional in Mexico. The timing is critical. Giant mantas are at serious risk of becoming extinct in the wild.They are the first species of manta to be listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.Their biggest threat: commercial fishing. “More people caring about mantas is the only way we can enact the change necessary to save them,” Vinesky said. And saving them, as she learned, just might start with stu ed animals in the gift shop. — — THE ASPIRING MAJOR LEAGUE COACH When Daniel Robertson talks about his goal to someday manage a Major League Baseball team, he doesn’t bother with “if” statements or hypotheticals. “By the time I’m a major league manager,” he said, “I feel like the game is going to recognize that I’ve been working hard.” Robertson, ’20, does not say these words arrogantly. He says them with the conviction of someone whose grit guided him to the peak of professional baseball as a player and who is now, a decade later, on the doorstep of a big-league coaching job. He’s currently the bench coach for ↗ After playing for the Beavs in 2008, Daniel Robertson finished his degree while working as a professional baseball player and coach. 47 Daniel Robertson.jpg Jane Vinesky.jpg SPRING 2025
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