REU Leadership Vignettes
Britton Deleacaes

Britton Deleacaes, Program Support Assistant
Institution, Major and Hobbies
I am an undergraduate ÅÝܽÊÓÆµapp at the ÅÝܽÊÓÆµapp College of Arts and Sciences. I am set to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree in Fall 2026, studying Marine Biology with a minor in Psychology. My hobbies include travelling and exploring new places, boating and fishing, and spending time with my friends and family.
Career Interests
My career interest is to become a marine mammal care specialist, working in the training field with dolphins. I am currently living in the Florida Keys, completing an internship. I am an animal care and training intern working with bottlenose dolphins at Dolphins Plus Bayside. The ability to care for these animals and build personal relationships with them is something that I hope to have the chance to do one day. I am drawn to all the important reasons for training animals, such as husbandry and medical care, mental and cognitive stimulation, and education. Before my internship, I volunteered at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where I learned the ins and outs of the marine mammal training field. I gained knowledge in bottlenose dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, North American river otters, and great white pelicans. During my time here at Dolphins Plus, I’ve had the privilege of attaining hands-on experience in training and what it takes to earn a career in this field. Along the way of this journey, I hope to learn as much about these animal species that I can, and to leave a positive lasting impact on populations for years to come.