Christina Zarrilli is a senior at Florida Atlantic University College of Engineering & Computer Science’s Innovation Leadership Honors Program majoring in Ocean Engineering. Christina is currently being certified by the university as a Scientific Diver allowing her to do underwater experiments and construction. Ms. Zarrilli was recently named Technology Student of the Year by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and was selected by both the Hydrographic Society of America and the Marine Technology Society for their student scholar leader awards.  In addition, she has received numerous recognitions for committing over 4500 hours of volunteer service. Christina is an officer with the Civil Air Patrol, Society of Women Engineers and Alpha Omega Epsilon, an engineering sorority. 

Living on the Atlantic coast, Ms. Zarrilli grew up snorkeling and scuba diving and developed an early love of the ocean and its creatures. She was homeschooled until age fourteen when she enrolled in college in her high school freshman year. She became interested in engineering after taking the course Innovative Problem Solving, saying that looking at other ways to solve common problems intrigued her. Having witnessed the devastation to communities and environs caused by natural catastrophes and having devoted many hours to disaster relief, Christina has turned her attention to developing strategies to address global concerns that impact the health of our oceans.

Ms. Zarrilli traveled to Asia as United States Cadet Ambassador and studied in Europe as a Gilman Scholar allowing her to look at issues from a broader international perspective. She tells us “I wish to use my training to educate others about the importance of conservation and to bring ocean energy to fruition, making it practical, affordable and available worldwide. Promoting conservation, environmental protection and alternative energy policies are important for the nation’s and the world’s future.”