David Lawrence Chang

If dogs dive, so can I.

I’ve traded the classroom for the ocean. Well, at least part of the time. As a high school senior and AAUS scientific diver-in-training at Moss Landing Marine Labs (MLML), I’m diving (literally) into marine bioengineering and ecosystem restoration, learning how ocean organisms might hold solutions to species recovery and medical advancements.

If Mako could dive, he wouldn’t have to wonder about the role of his namesake, the Mako shark, in the ocean ecosystem. Instead, he watches over the waves with quiet curiosity while I explore beneath them, both of us connected to a world that relies on balance and resilience.