Mario Mota Ph.D.,  is currently at the University of Florida, Gainsville researching how beach nourishment projects impact the nesting, incubation, hatching and physiology of sea turtles in Florida.  He has worked as a marine mammal and sea turtle scientist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Mote Marine Laboratories for 11 years. He is also involved in  a sea turtle population study in the Marquesas Atoll.   Mario and Leslee worked together in Cuba to promote manatee and sea turtle conservation.