Advisor: Dr. Risa Cohen

"My name is Emma Herndon and I just graduated with my Bachelors of Science in ecology from Augusta University. I was born in Florida but raised in Georgia. My family would always vacation to the Florida beaches which is how I gained my love for the coast. While in my undergraduate career I worked on multiple research project but my favorite one was when I investigated the presence of microplastics in ghost crabs on St. Catherine's Island and Tybee Island. Projects like that made me realize I want to continue to work towards a graduate degree in coastal ecology. In my free time I love watching movies and going to concerts with friends!"

Advisor: Dr. Checo Colon-Gaud

"Hi there everyone I'm Maya Henson. I'm from Atlanta Georgia and have lived in GA my whole life! I got my Associates degree in Biology from Georgia State University and my Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Savannah State University. Some of my favorite hobbies are playing video games, gardening, and watching movies. I used to woodwork, and write a lot but I haven't in a while, hopefully again soon! I am really interested in marine (trophic) ecology and at the moment microplastics. I hope to study deep sea marine environments in some capacity after completing a PhD!"

Advisors: Dr. James Roberts & Dr. Stephen Vives

"My name is Andrew Jeanetta, I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville where I double majored in Biology (Ecology) and Environmental Science & Conservation, and minored in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I was born in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri , but lived most of my life in Jamesville, NY. I am largely interested in looking at spatial patterns of ecological systems using software such as ArcGIS. I enjoy horseback riding, hiking, and kicking around in streams. In the future I would like to pursue a PhD with the goal of conducting spatial pattern analysis to understand the distribution of animals and the impact of humans on these spatial patterns."

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Advisor: Dr. Josh Gibson

"My name is Luke Keenan, and I recently graduated from Austin College with a degree in Biology with a Concentration in Cellular and Molecular Biology. I am originally from Houston, Texas. During my undergraduate years, I had the amazing opportunity to conduct research at my school's prairie restoration field where I used DNA analysis to identify fungal communities. I love hanging out with my friends, watching movies, reading books, being in nature, and trying new food. After the fellowship, I plan to attend graduate school in a program focused on Molecular Ecology."

Advisors: Dr. Stephen Greiman & Dr. Dmitry Apanaskavich

"Hey! My name is Marissa Ohran. I grew up in Orem, Utah, where I graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor's in Bioinformatics and a minor in Biology. My research interests include wildlife conservation, genomics, and evolution. During my undergraduate studies I had opportunities to work on a variety of projects, which included research on aquatic fungi, fruit fly genomes, and bacteria. In the future I'd like to pursue a PhD focused on conservation genomics. When I’m not doing research you can catch me reading, playing video games, drawing, playing games with my friends, or visiting aquariums, zoos, and museums."

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Advisor: Dr. Lance McBrayer

"My name is Gabriel Ortiz and I graduated from DePauw University in 2022. I am from the south side of Chicago and I love rock climbing and playing the cello! I am interested in anything reptile and amphibian but I am mostly interested in their responses to a warming climate and anthropogenic stressors. After completing my undergraduate degree I assisted different universities in the completion of several projects including tree censuses in Nebraska and Texas, and acoustic monitoring and banding birds in Kentucky and Pennsylvania. My goal is to continue asking questions that fuel my research interests and pursue a graduate degree!"

Advisor: Dr. Lisa Brown

"Hello everyone! My name is Yuriani Palomino, but Yuri works too. I recently graduated from the University of San Diego with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Ethnic Studies. I was born and raised in San Diego and have had the opportunity to travel to places like Italy, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, and Canada. I am very interested in disease ecology, with a particular focus on insects. I have previously researched how Nucleopolyhedrovirus and drought influence the mating success of Dione vanillae butterflies. I am passionate about learning more about how climate change impacts disease transmission and how host species respond to diseases. I look forward to investigating insect–disease interactions in graduate school to deepen our understanding of their impacts on ecosystems. In my free time, I enjoy knitting and crocheting. Although I am still learning, I hope to eventually create full clothing pieces."

Advisor: Dr. John Carroll

"Hi! My name is Alaina Shepardson, and I’m from Jackson, Michigan. Growing up, some of my best memories were those spent camping with my family and exploring the shores of Lake Michigan, which sparked my interest in wildlife conservation. I recently graduated from Albion College with my bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Anthropology. I’ve worked with freshwater snails and macroinvertebrates. My current research interests include benthic ecology, marine conservation, and ethnozoology. In my free time, I enjoy making pottery, kayaking, visiting museums and aquariums, and collecting vintage digital cameras. After the fellowship, I’d like to pursue a graduate degree in marine biology to conduct applied ecology research that supports conservation efforts and community engagement."

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Advisor: Dr. Issac Park

My name is Abby Subler, and I’m a recent graduate of The Ohio State University where I majored in Entomology. During my undergraduate studies I helped to database the university’s Integrated Pest Management collection, grade students’ work for a couple of entomology courses, and was a student research assistant for the Ohio Bee Survey where I worked with native Ohio bee species. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and have spent many hours driving to different parts of the eastern half of the U.S. both to visit family and explore parks and cities. My favorite hobbies include creative writing, playing video games with friends, playing piano, and maintaining my personal pinned insect collection. My professional interests include arbovirology, habitat conservation, pesticide science/resistance, and population ecology. I plan to attend graduate school and continue working with arthropods in the future.

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Advisor: Dr. Georgianne Moore

"My name is Emily Vanderworth, I graduated with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology from Texas State University. I am originally from Lake Jackson, TX where my love for aquatic systems started as I was situated along the Gulf of Mexico and the Brazos River. I am interested in wetland ecology and ecohydrology, as well as nutrient cycling across different marine systems. My hobbies include paddleboarding, hiking, and watercolor painting. My goal is to earn a graduate degree in marine conservation and build a research career in hopes of making a difference in our coastal ecosystems. "