Nic Storie

Position

PhD Student - Oceanography

Biography

My interest in coral reef ecology and plastic marine debris began as I pursued my undergraduate degree at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. My first research experience was under the mentorship of Dr. Misaki Takabayashi where I assisted with a long-term coral monitoring project at Kapoho, HI. Sadly, our study site was inundated with lava during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. My undergraduate thesis examined microplastic accumulation patterns among Hawaiian beaches, including a newly formed black sand beach created during the latest Kīlauea eruption, under the mentorship of Drs. Steven Colbert and Tracy Wiegner. Currently, I am working with Dr. Nelson on a project differentiating treated and untreated wastewater contamination using microbial genomics in Hilo, HI as a University of Hawaii Sea Grant Fellow.

Research Interests

Broadly, my research interests include plastic marine debris, coral reef ecology, and biogeochemistry. I am particularly interested in investigating the biofilms found on microplastics and the effects upon the coral holobiont following ingestion.

Education

2016-2020 B.S. Marine Science, University of Hawai’i at Hilo