Short History
Growing up in Vermont fostered my passion for sustainability, which I followed by studying environmental science at Barnard College. My first research experience at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory introduced me to algae cultivation techniques. This came in helpful for my EPA internship (GRO-U fellowship) the following summer for which I tested the effect of pharmaceutical contamination in wastewater on lipid accumulation in microalgae. Following the completion of my undergraduate degree I used my algae cultivation skills yet again to assist Mystic Aquarium in the establishment of its marine ornamental aquaculture program. During this time that I was becoming interested in aquaculture as a way to sustainably produce fish, I was also becoming a prolific home-chef. Studying oceanography has been an effective way to combine my newfound passion for food and the science of sustainable food production. I completed a master’s degree at UConn, for which I studied the diet of copepods. Through this experience, I gained molecular skills that have proven essential to support my new interest in studying the microbiome, which I am now pursuing in the context of oyster aquaculture at Rutgers University.
Education
2014, BA Environmental Science, Barnard College, Columbia University
2018, MS Oceanography, University of Connecticut – Avery Point
2018-present, PhD Student, Graduate Program in Oceanography, Rutgers University