Rachel Davitt
Graduate Students
Graduate Program in Oceanography
Short Bio

I grew up in Randolph, New Jersey, and have been in love with the ocean for as long as I can remember! This led me to majoring in marine biology at the University of Delaware, where I graduated with my B.Sc. in 2023. While there, I interned with the Rutgers RIOS program, working under Dr. Kimberlee Thamatrakoln to study the effect of silicon limitation on host-virus dynamics in the diatom Chaetoceros socialis. Since graduating, I have worked as a seasonal marine field worker at the Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory under Dr. Daphne Munroe, and I am super happy to be back at Rutgers! Broadly, my research interests include understanding phytoplankton-environment interactions, how these interactions will change due to climate change, and the role of marine viruses in these relationships. I am also super passionate about scientific communication and outreach. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors, and trying new foods.