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Research Interests
I am broadly interested in how marine bivalves (e.g., clams, oysters, scallops & mussels) grow and survive in changing marine environments. As ocean conditions change in terms of temperature, carbonate chemistry, and food availability, marine bivalves may alter their physiology to continue to survive. These changes in physiology may be observed as changes in feeding, metabolic, or digestive rates, all of which allocate to the energy an individual has to contribute to growth and reproduction. My research has focused on how changing ocean conditions may impact commercially important bivalve species that are fished or produced in aquaculture farms for food production.
Short History
I began studying the physiology of marine organisms during my undergraduate degree at Mount Allison University in 2015. More recently, I have joined Rutgers University from Nova Scotia, Canada, where I completed my Master of Marine Management and PhD at Dalhousie University with Dr. Ramón Filgueira. My masters research explored the effects of climate change on two farmed species of marine bivalves, the eastern oyster and the blue mussel. For this research I combined a biological model of bivalve growth with a climate model of sea surface temperature predictions to predict the future growth of these species. I also conducted interviews with stakeholders of the shellfish aquaculture industry to determine how people relevant to the field perceived the risks of climate change. My PhD focused on the ecology and physiology of marine bivalves, with a specialization in their filter-feeding mechanisms.
Education
2016 B.Sc., Biology honours, Mount Allison University
2017 Master of Marine Management, Dalhousie University
2022 Ph.D., Biology, Dalhousie University