Dr. Linda Walters, Pegasus Professor of Biology
Dr. Melinda Donnelly, Research Assistant Professor of Biology
Dr. Paul Sacks, Field Research Technician
Carla Perscky, Restoration Technician
CURRENT: Graduate Students
- Katherine Harris, PhD Candidate, Thesis title: “Exploring oyster reefs through virtual reality: Comparing methods of science outreach”; “Mangrove Encroachment on Oyster Reefs in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
- Gabriel Benson, MS candidate in Biology, Thesis title: “An Examination of the Relationship Between Shorelines and Fringing Seagrass Beds”
- Luciana Banquero, MS candidate in Biology, Thesis title: “Microplastics in juvenile marine invertebrates from restored oyster reefs in the Indian River Lagoon”; “Florida’s Mosquito Lagoon: continuing loss of intertidal oyster reef acreage coupled with successful biodegradable restoration.”
- Mickey Negash, MS candidate in Biology, Thesis title: “Rhizophora mangle (Red mangrove) seedling success in different habitats in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, USA.”
- Emily Suchonic, MS candidate in Biology, Thesis title: “Climate Change and Coastal Development Impacts on Oyster Abundances in Mosquito Lagoon, FL.”
CURRENT: Undergraduate Research Students and Field Assistants
- Nicole Jerrell, Honors Thesis title: “Examining wrack in the Indian River Lagoon to understand diversity, abundance, and seagrass fragment viability.”
- Tara Blanchard, Honors Thesis title: “Effects of biodegradable oyster reef restoration materials on vertebrate abundances and behaviors.”
- Madison Serrate, Research title: “Examining wrack in the Indian River Lagoon to understand diversity, abundance, and seagrass fragment viability.”
- Jordyn Collis, Research Title: “Hurricane Spikes in Microfibers: A Case Study in Mosquito Lagoon.”
- Carla Perscky, 2023 BIOREU cohort, Research Intern, Research Title: “Thriving Together: A Multi-habitat Approach Using Both Oysters and Seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon.”
- Stef Tasayco, 2023 BIOREU cohort, Research Intern, Research Title: “Assessing the Net Advantage of Living Shoreline Restoration on the Ecological Success of a Novel Restoration Method for Halodule wrightii.”
- Justin Miller, Field Assistant
- Jenna Hodgson, Field Assistant
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS and FIELD TECHNICIANS
Dr. Giovanna McClenachan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow from 1/2018 – 12/2020. Now employed as an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University in Long Island, NY.
Dr. Melinda Donnelly, Postdoctoral Research Fellow from 1/2016 – 7/2019. Now employed as a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL.
Dr. Paul Sacks, Field Technician
Suzanne Connor, Field Technician
Jessica Phagan, GIS Technician
Michelle Shaffer, Field Technician
Wei Samantha Yuan, Field Technician
Previous Graduate Students
Andrea Barber Alden: Thesis title: “Restoration Of Intertidal Oyster Reefs Affected By Intense Boating Activity in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Arte C. Roman: Thesis title: “Spatial and temporal analysis of the growth dynamics of the ascidian Perophora viridis.”
Becca Fillyaw: Thesis title: “Optimizing Shoreline Stabilization Along Florida Estuaries.”
Casey Craig: Thesis title: “Quantifying Microplastic Pollution in a Florida Estuary.”
Christian Glardon: Thesis title: “Predicting Risks of Invasion of Caulerpa Species In Florida.”
Christian Pilato: Thesis title: “Hydrodynamic limitations and the effects of living shoreline stabilization on mangrove recruitment along Florida coastlines.”
Donna Campbell: Thesis title: “Quantifying the effects of boats wakes on intertidal oyster reefs in a shallow estuary.”
Ethan Fletcher Nash: Thesis title: “Understanding The Invasion Of Florida’s Intertidal Crassostrea virginica Reefs By Non-native Marine Invertebrate Species.”
Jennifer Manis: Thesis title: “Assessing The Effectiveness Of Living Shoreline Restoration And Wave Attenuation in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Jennifer Stiner: Thesis title: “Predation On The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica On Intertidal Reefs Affected By Recreational Boating.”
Jessie Copertino: Thesis title: “Impacts of Oyster Reef Restoration on Threatened and Endangered Birds in Mosquito Lagoon.”
Joshua Solomon: Thesis title: “Identifying inundation-driven effects among intertidal Crassostrea virginica in a commercially important Gulf of Mexico estuary.”
Julie Liss: Thesis title: “The Ecology Of Drift Algae In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida.”
Katherine Brown Grablow: Thesis title: “Recovery And Restoration Of The Seagrass Halodule wrightii After Boat Propeller Scar Damage In A Pole-troll Zone in Mosquito Lagoon.”
Laura Ann Wick: Thesis title: “Vegetative fragmentation ecology of the macroalgae Dictyota and Laurenci in the Florida Everglades.”
Lisa Wall: Thesis title: “Recruitment And Restoration Of The Oyster Crassostrea virginica In Areas With Intense Boating Activity in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Marie-Josee Abgrall: Thesis title: “Settlement preferences, recruitment, and dispersal potential of the bryozoan Bugula Neritina on drift macroalgae in mosquito lagoon, Volusia County, Florida.”
Melinda Donnelly: Dissertation title: “Effects of Biotic Interactions on Coastal Communities With Applications For Restoration.”
Melinda Donnelly: Thesis title: “Is The Exotic Brazilian Pepper, Schinus terebinthifolius, A Threat To Mangrove Ecosystems in Florida?”
Michelle Boudreaux: Thesis title: “Native and Invasive Competitors Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Nicole Robinson: Thesis title: “Interactions Between Nudibranch Okenia Zoobotryon And Its Bryozoan.”
Panagiota (Penny) Makris: Thesis title: “Effects of harmful algal blooms caused by Aureoumbra lagunensis (brown tide) on larval and juvenile life stages of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica).”
Rachel Odom: Thesis title: “The Next “killer” Algae? Assessing And Mitigating Invasion Risk For Aquarium Strains Of The Marine Macroalgal Genus Chaetomorpha.”
Rachel Witcher: Thesis title “Behaviors of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in non-restricted and restricted boating areas in the Indian River-Banana River Complex, Florida.”
Rebecca Wimmer: Thesis title: “Decades of community-based restoration: impacts on habitats and people.”
Stephanie Garvis: Thesis title: “Quantifying The Impacts Of Oyster Reef Restoration On Oyster Coverage, Wave Attenuation and Seagrass Fragment Retention in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Suzanne Connor
Wei Samantha Yuan: “The Effects of Non-native Species on Two Life-stages of the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica – Mussels and Barnacles.”
Wendy D. Noke: Thesis title: “Interactions between the Indian River Lagoon blue crab fishery and the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncates.”
Arte C. Roman: Thesis title: “Spatial and temporal analysis of the growth dynamics of the ascidian Perophora viridis.”
Becca Fillyaw: Thesis title: “Optimizing Shoreline Stabilization Along Florida Estuaries.”
Casey Craig: Thesis title: “Quantifying Microplastic Pollution in a Florida Estuary.”
Christian Glardon: Thesis title: “Predicting Risks of Invasion of Caulerpa Species In Florida.”
Christian Pilato: Thesis title: “Hydrodynamic limitations and the effects of living shoreline stabilization on mangrove recruitment along Florida coastlines.”
Donna Campbell: Thesis title: “Quantifying the effects of boats wakes on intertidal oyster reefs in a shallow estuary.”
Ethan Fletcher Nash: Thesis title: “Understanding The Invasion Of Florida’s Intertidal Crassostrea virginica Reefs By Non-native Marine Invertebrate Species.”
Jennifer Manis: Thesis title: “Assessing The Effectiveness Of Living Shoreline Restoration And Wave Attenuation in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Jennifer Stiner: Thesis title: “Predation On The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica On Intertidal Reefs Affected By Recreational Boating.”
Jessie Copertino: Thesis title: “Impacts of Oyster Reef Restoration on Threatened and Endangered Birds in Mosquito Lagoon.”
Joshua Solomon: Thesis title: “Identifying inundation-driven effects among intertidal Crassostrea virginica in a commercially important Gulf of Mexico estuary.”
Julie Liss: Thesis title: “The Ecology Of Drift Algae In The Indian River Lagoon, Florida.”
Katherine Brown Grablow: Thesis title: “Recovery And Restoration Of The Seagrass Halodule wrightii After Boat Propeller Scar Damage In A Pole-troll Zone in Mosquito Lagoon.”
Laura Ann Wick: Thesis title: “Vegetative fragmentation ecology of the macroalgae Dictyota and Laurenci in the Florida Everglades.”
Lisa Wall: Thesis title: “Recruitment And Restoration Of The Oyster Crassostrea virginica In Areas With Intense Boating Activity in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Marie-Josee Abgrall: Thesis title: “Settlement preferences, recruitment, and dispersal potential of the bryozoan Bugula Neritina on drift macroalgae in mosquito lagoon, Volusia County, Florida.”
Melinda Donnelly: Dissertation title: “Effects of Biotic Interactions on Coastal Communities With Applications For Restoration.”
Melinda Donnelly: Thesis title: “Is The Exotic Brazilian Pepper, Schinus terebinthifolius, A Threat To Mangrove Ecosystems in Florida?”
Michelle Boudreaux: Thesis title: “Native and Invasive Competitors Of The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Nicole Robinson: Thesis title: “Interactions Between Nudibranch Okenia Zoobotryon And Its Bryozoan.”
Panagiota (Penny) Makris: Thesis title: “Effects of harmful algal blooms caused by Aureoumbra lagunensis (brown tide) on larval and juvenile life stages of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica).”
Rachel Odom: Thesis title: “The Next “killer” Algae? Assessing And Mitigating Invasion Risk For Aquarium Strains Of The Marine Macroalgal Genus Chaetomorpha.”
Rachel Witcher: Thesis title “Behaviors of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in non-restricted and restricted boating areas in the Indian River-Banana River Complex, Florida.”
Rebecca Wimmer: Thesis title: “Decades of community-based restoration: impacts on habitats and people.”
Stephanie Garvis: Thesis title: “Quantifying The Impacts Of Oyster Reef Restoration On Oyster Coverage, Wave Attenuation and Seagrass Fragment Retention in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida.”
Suzanne Connor
Wei Samantha Yuan: “The Effects of Non-native Species on Two Life-stages of the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica – Mussels and Barnacles.”
Wendy D. Noke: Thesis title: “Interactions between the Indian River Lagoon blue crab fishery and the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncates.”
Previous Undergraduate Research Students
If you have conducted research as part of CEELAB but your name is not listed below, please contact us and we will happily add it.
Jewell Rehkopf
Sydney Busch
Katherine Guise
Melanie Delavalle
Cristina Lingvay
Wren Lee
Carwin Go
Julia Rifenberg
Jason Litwak
Sydney Busch
Katherine Guise
Melanie Delavalle
Cristina Lingvay
Wren Lee
Carwin Go
Julia Rifenberg
Jason Litwak
John Buzby
Gianna Fanelli
Julia Carlin: UCF Order of Pegasus Honoree, Top Honor Graduate. Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Investigation of Microplastic Accumulation in the Gastrointestinal Tract in Birds of Prey.”
Jacki Condon: SURF Scholar
Carter Cook
Noah Friedland
Brice Giles
Jacob Hromyak: SURF Scholar
Calissa Jones: EXCEL Scholar
Jessica Needham
Jessica Phagan
Megan Witt: RAMP Scholar
Julia Carlin: UCF Order of Pegasus Honoree, Top Honor Graduate. Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Investigation of Microplastic Accumulation in the Gastrointestinal Tract in Birds of Prey.”
Jacki Condon: SURF Scholar
Carter Cook
Noah Friedland
Brice Giles
Jacob Hromyak: SURF Scholar
Calissa Jones: EXCEL Scholar
Jessica Needham
Jessica Phagan
Megan Witt: RAMP Scholar
Ciera Jarrett
Sara Joraleman
Maya Alphonse
Lacie Anderson: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Quantifying The Success Of Eastern Oyster Pilot Reefs in Brevard County, Florida.”
Justin Bridges
Sasha Brodsky
Dottie Bryon
Courtney Buck
Steven Carrion: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Determining Factors that Influence Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel) Transplant Success in Community-Based Living Shoreline Projects.”
Ocean Cohen
Suzanne Connor
Jane Conrad
Casey Craig
Emmi Curtiss
Julie DeLauriers: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Preventing Introductions to Sustain Healthy Ecosystems: Establish Eradication Protocols for a Popular Aquarium Seaweed.”, Order of Pegasus.
Heidi Deutsche
Jordan Filipino
Samantha Fischer
Eddie Florres
Heather Flynn
Stephanie Garvis
Shelly Gaynor
Violette Gibbs
Nancy Gillis
Katherine Brown Grablow
Daniele Greene
Jeff Grevert
Summer Hamadeh
Katherine Harris: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Oyster Reef Restoration: Impacts on Infaunal Communities in a Shallow Water Estuary.”
Laura Wick Herren
Paige Jaffe
Sarah Johnson
Sydney Katz
Mark Kemper
Lori Konar
Chelsea Landeau
J.J. Leissing
Danny LeJuene
Rob Levinthal
Nicole Malizia
Neysa Martinez
Megan Mindalie
Mikaela Morella
Christian Pilato
Heather Piper
Megan Robbins
Nicole Robinson
Michele Shaffer
Tiffany Sheldon
Stephany Silva
Leah Smith
Samantha Spinuzzi
Kali Standorf
Aiesha Stevens
Lauren Stroud
Sara Bolivar Wagers
Heidi Waite: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Investigating the Quantity and Types of Microplastics in the Organic Tissue of Oysters and Crabs in the Indian River Lagoon.”
Erin Walker
Lacie Anderson: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Quantifying The Success Of Eastern Oyster Pilot Reefs in Brevard County, Florida.”
Justin Bridges
Sasha Brodsky
Dottie Bryon
Courtney Buck
Steven Carrion: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Determining Factors that Influence Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel) Transplant Success in Community-Based Living Shoreline Projects.”
Ocean Cohen
Suzanne Connor
Jane Conrad
Casey Craig
Emmi Curtiss
Julie DeLauriers: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Preventing Introductions to Sustain Healthy Ecosystems: Establish Eradication Protocols for a Popular Aquarium Seaweed.”, Order of Pegasus.
Heidi Deutsche
Jordan Filipino
Samantha Fischer
Eddie Florres
Heather Flynn
Stephanie Garvis
Shelly Gaynor
Violette Gibbs
Nancy Gillis
Katherine Brown Grablow
Daniele Greene
Jeff Grevert
Summer Hamadeh
Katherine Harris: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Oyster Reef Restoration: Impacts on Infaunal Communities in a Shallow Water Estuary.”
Laura Wick Herren
Paige Jaffe
Sarah Johnson
Sydney Katz
Mark Kemper
Lori Konar
Chelsea Landeau
J.J. Leissing
Danny LeJuene
Rob Levinthal
Nicole Malizia
Neysa Martinez
Megan Mindalie
Mikaela Morella
Christian Pilato
Heather Piper
Megan Robbins
Nicole Robinson
Michele Shaffer
Tiffany Sheldon
Stephany Silva
Leah Smith
Samantha Spinuzzi
Kali Standorf
Aiesha Stevens
Lauren Stroud
Sara Bolivar Wagers
Heidi Waite: Honors in the Major Thesis title: “Investigating the Quantity and Types of Microplastics in the Organic Tissue of Oysters and Crabs in the Indian River Lagoon.”
Erin Walker