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I am a research ecologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Atlantic Ecology Division in Narragansett, Rhode Island. My research interests include studying the relationships between fish and shellfish and their habitats, the effects that benthic organisms (those are the animals that live in the mud) have on the sediment and the effect of sediment dynamics on them, and also sediment geochemistry. My job has a nice combination of laboratory research and field work using boats and SCUBA diving. I am also learning how to create mathematical models with my data, to better understand the benthic populations that I study. I think that is one of the greatest things about science- you are always learning new things! It is very challenging, and also very exciting. I received my Ph.D. in marine science from the Virginia Institute
of Marine Science (VIMS), College of William and Mary. I also have
a M.S. in marine science from VIMS and a B.S. in Biological Sciences
from the University of Notre Dame. My most thrilling research experience
was in November 2002, when I became an Aquanaut. I lived underwater
for ten days in Aquarius, the world's only underwater research laboratory.
Aquarius is located three miles off the coast of Key Largo in 60
feet of water, and is operated by NOAA and the National Undersea
Research Center. I was a member of a SCUBA dive team from VIMS studying
the effects of global warming on coral reef metabolism. I have also
had the great opportunity to participate on exciting research cruises
in the Gulf of Mexico, the Chesapeake Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and
the Barents Sea.
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