Students

Darian Braddy - Good day! My name is Darian Braddy. I am from Savannah, GA, where I received my B.S. in Marine Sciences and a Data Analytics certificate at Savannah State University this year. I have done research on sea level rise and the effects on the local Savannah oyster population. I also did two research projects on small-scall vertical and horizontal migrations of the periwinkle snail related to tidal cycles and heights. I spent last summer on Ossabaw Island, GA as a sea turtle technician. I love diving and my goal at the University of the Virgin Islands is to study coral reef restoration and expand my knowledge from tidal marsh environments to tropical/mangrove environments. I also love coastal tourism and informing the public about the benefits of the ocean and the dire need to ensure marine health. I am super excited for this next step in my marine journey! 

Avery Coble, National Science Foundation Scholar  - Hi! My name is Avery Coble. I moved to St. Thomas from Tarpon Springs FL, but have lived all over. I graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Marine Biology. While attending, I volunteered on the 100-island challenge run by Dr. Stuart Sandin, where I found my passion for corals. During this time, I also interned at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium working on baseline data collection, and with Manta Trust in Micronesia studying the reef manta ray's migration patterns. After I graduated, I worked for a while at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where I primarily worked on research and education. I am very excited to continue my education and be a part of the MMES program

Corinne Johnson - Hi I’m Corinne! I am originally from Arizona but I grew up all over the world. I developed my love for the ocean and turtles when we took a family trip to Greece and I saw sea turtle conservation efforts on the beach. I graduated in 2017 with a double major in biology and sustainability from Arizona State University. While at ASU, I studied the social behaviours of resident hawksbill turtles off the coast of Maui, Hawai’i. During this project, I discovered my passion for behavioural ecology and the conservation impact it can have. At UVI, I will be studying territoriality of juvenile hawksbill turtles and I can’t wait to get started!  
 

Madison Miele, National Science Foundation Scholar - Hey, I’m Madison Miele! I’ve lived in Washington State my whole life. I just recently graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelors degree in marine biology in 2022. I have loved marine life ever since I was a kid, especially when I started snorkeling and scuba diving. Last summer I studied abroad in Turks and Caicos where I conducted research on sharks, turtles, and rays! I fell in love with Caribbean waters and all the animals in it. Along with that, I have interned with a pacific mammal research team in Washington State where we study harbor porpoises and seals. Everything in the ocean amazes me and I can’t wait to have more experiences in the Virgin Islands! Im very interested in shark or tropical fish research. I’m super excited to get a Masters in Marine and Environmental Science at UVI and can’t wait for the adventures that come with it!

James Powell, National Science Foundation Scholar - Hello! My name is James, and I hail from Warrenton, Virginia. My love for the ocean developed while completing my SCUBA instructor rating in Cozumel, Mexico in 2019. It was then that I decided to return home to complete my bachelor's degree in Environmental Science at the Virginia Commonwealth University. I am excited to be joining the MMES program and aim to build a career that will enable me to share my passion of the underwater world through research! During my time at UVI, I will be working with Dr. Cruz-Rivera on the degradation models of sargassum species and the effects of golden tides on Caribbean coastal sustainability. 

Kaitlin Rommelfanger - My name is Kaitlin Rommelfanger, I grew up in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. As a kid, one of my favorite pastimes was hunting for crawdads and and frogs in and around the creek in my grandparents backyard. I graduated in 2016 from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities wIth a BS in Genetics and Microbiology. After my undergrad a job opportunity took me out to Southern California where I have been working at a plumbing certification company and spending free time volunteering with the California Wildlife Center Marine Mammal Rehab team and the Aquarium of the Pacific.  

I am thrilled to be joining the MMES cohort, and turning my longtime hobby into my career. I look forward to working with Dr Edwin Cruz-Rivera in has lab studying Sargassum! 

Jordan Silva - Hey! My name is Jordan Silva and I am from Louisville, Kentucky. I graduated a few years ago with a B.S. double major in Biology and Environmental Science. Since I graduated, I have worked in environmental restoration, natural areas and land management, and in a microbiology lab. Ever since I was a kid, the ocean is where I wanted to be! I love surfing too, so if anyone ever needs a surf buddy, I am always down! Coming from Kentucky, there was not much opportunity to study marine life but, in my undergrad, I went on a trip to Belize and was studying coral diversity among the different reefs. This trip is what made me realize that I wanted to continue my education towards marine science and it was a great way to combine my love and passion for the ocean and career interests. So here I am now following that dream. I am always up to learn something new and offer a helping hand! I look forward to starting the MMES program and working in Dr. Edwin Cruz-Rivera’s lab. 

Sabrina Sorace - Hi, my name is Sabrina Sorace. I am originally from Maryland; however, I received my degree in Marine Science with a concentration in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies from Eckerd College in Florida. While I was at Eckerd College, I studied the concentration of microplastics in the Tampa Bay area and within the digestive tracts of manatees residing in Tampa. But after interning at Mote Marine Lab in their sea turtle conservation and research program, I discovered my interest in fieldwork and herpetology. After three nesting seasons with greens and loggerhead sea turtles, I decided to take the next step in my career and pursue graduate education. I will be continuing to work with sea turtles under the guidance of Dr. Paul Jobsis, studying the hawksbill sea turtle nesting populations on St. Thomas. 

Amanda Badai - Hi my name is Amanda Badai. I am originally from New Jersey, however I have resided in the Florida Keys for the past few years. I graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of New Haven in Connecticut. I completed a thesis where I determined if nematocysts from Aiptasia sp. and Cassiopea sp. could inhibit bacterial growth. After college I interned for Mote Marine Laboratory in their Reef Restoration Program where I gained experience in coral husbandry. I then had animal care experience with parrots and manatees at Miami Seaquarium and learned about their manatee rescue program. After Miami I moved back to the keys to become a Biologist at Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters where I gained experience in elasmobranch and tropical fish husbandry. Other specialties there were water quality and animal training and manatee rescue. I look forward to studying and gaining more experience in coral disease and research with the MMES program. 

Shamoy Bideau - Hey, what's good? My name is Shamoy Bideau, I’m from St. Croix, but was raised in St. Lucia, where I first found my love for the ocean attending youth forums surrounding ocean resource conservation. I graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands with my B.S. in Marine Biology in 2020. I am a member of Dr. Marilyn Brandt’s lab, as a Research Assistant on the SEAS coral restoration project. Through my time at UVI, I amassed new skills which I think are beneficial to my future, but I'm not done yet - always up for learning something new. I'm excited to see what this new chapter holds for me.

Dr. Rebecca Gibbel - I am enthusiastic to be joining the MMES cohort and Dr. Brandt’s lab, in order to study coral disease- particularly the epizootic SCTLD that has so seriously damaged the Caribbean reefs.  My early years were spent on Tortola in the BVI, when the reefs were in far better condition and before coral diseases were prevalent.   I earned my bachelor’s degree from Harvard, my doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tufts, and I did a post-doc internship in surgery and medicine at Penn.  Since then I have been practicing veterinary medicine in New York City, but I have always been strongly drawn to environmental conservation.   I’ve worked at the NY Aquarium and learned about land-based coral husbandry, and in a genetics lab at the Museum of Natural History, studying deep sea black corals until the pandemic shut the lab down.   Joining me in this next life chapter, are my dive buddy husband Mark, and our paralyzed dachshund Lola.

 Zachary Gregory, National Science Foundation Scholar  - My name is Zachary Gregory. I am from Washington State and received a bachelor’s in marine biology from Western Washington University. During my undergrad I found myself fascinated by habitat forming species such as anemones and corals. This fascination led me to many opportunities such as running independent experiments on coral bleaching in the Sea of Cortez and spent a summer aiding in propagation of corals such as Acropora Palmata and Acropora Cervicornis through MOTE Marine Laboratory’s Coral Reef Restoration Internship. I also spent my time volunteering in aiding WWU’s Surfrider Club with beach cleanups and organizing public outreach events. I have spent the past two years working with one of Washington’s native tribe where I have worked on monitoring salmon populations, restored riparian habitat, and aided in climate modeling. I am excited that my path has brought me to the MMES program at UVI, and for the experiences I’ll get during my time at St. Thomas.

 Kayla Halliday, National Science Foundation Scholar - Hello all, my name is Kayla Halliday and I was raised here on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. I have recently graduated with my B.S. in Marine Biology in May of 2020 here at the University of the Virgin Islands and I am very excited to be starting the MMES program.  From the time I first learned to snorkel, around the age of 3, I have always been curious and mystified by the ocean and all the creatures that reside there. Over my adolescent and adult years, my passion to protect my home and the waters that surround it grew, which is one of the reasons why I am choosing to further my education. My career goal is to be an ecological consultant here in the Virgin Islands. I am very interested in land/sea interactions and human/sea life interactions. During my time in the MMES program I will be working with Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes on advancing mangrove restoration. My thesis will focus on the bettering out planting for mangrove propagules

Elizabeth Harris, National Science Foundation Scholar  - Hi, my name is Elizabeth Harris, I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri. I received my undergrad degree at Missouri State University with my B.S focused on wildlife biology. My biggest interest in undergrad was freshwater invertebrates and stream ecology. My interest in marine biology sprouts from visiting family on the coasts. During my undergrad, I got to study away with SEA Education sailing around the lesser Antilles studying coral reefs. While a graduate student, I would love to explore coral reef invertebrates and coral reef ecology for my thesis. My hobbies include crafting, hiking, and anything outside or on the water.

Sierrah Mueller, National Science Foundation Scholar - Hi all! My name is Sierrah Mueller. I am from Asheville, North Carolina where I spent the majority of my time outdoors hiking, camping and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains. I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with degrees in Biology and Spanish. While at UNC-CH I spent a summer studying marine resource management in the Turks and Caicos Islands which solidified my desire to further study tropical marine ecosystems. After graduating from UNC-CH I moved to the FL Keys and worked in marine science education as well as with local non-profit organizations on marine conservation initiatives. Since the Keys, I have lived in the Cayman Islands working as a dive instructor. I have a passion for traveling and exploring new cultures, which led me on a backpacking trip across Southeast Asia where I got to dive some of the world's best coral reef ecosystems. I will be studying fish ecology under the guidance of Dr. Richard Nemeth looking at life history and habitat analysis of redtail parrotfish (Sparisoma chrysopterum).

Julia Plotkin - Hello! My name is Julia Plotkin and I am originally from Texas where I earned a Bachelor of Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017. After graduation I dove into the field doing critical habitat restoration and trail access in Southern California with the American Conservation Experience followed by almost 2 years in the Philippines as a Coastal Resource Management volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps. My passion for community engagement, ecosystem-based management, and stakeholder driven science landed me here in St. Thomas working with the Division of Fish and Wildlife at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources. I am eager to push myself as a scientist in the MMES program while exploring my research interests in blue carbon, habitat restoration, and coastal resilience. I look forward to learning how to best create a sustainable intersection of marine environment and society!

Adeline Shelby, National Science Foundation Scholar - My name is Adeline Shelby and I am originally from Dallas, Texas! I turned a 4-hour drive to the nearest beach to 15-minutes when I decided to go to the University of Miami. I graduated in 2019 with a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology. During my time there I helped conduct research on staghorn coral in an ocean acidification laboratory, interned at the Center for Sustainable Development in Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas, and studied abroad in the Galapagos Islands. I've become particularly interested in coral conservation and restoration. So, I am happy to be interning with Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo, Florida this summer where I get to assist with reef monitoring, harvesting, and outplanting! I'm very excited to get to continue this kind of work as a research assistant for Dr. Tyler Smith.

Davis Strobel, National Science Foundation Scholar - Hello!! I’m Davis Strobel from Charleston, South Carolina. I grew up in a Scouting family which catalyzed my love for nature and through scuba diving at a young age I found my life goal of becoming a marine scientist. I attended Arkansas State University (Howl Yes!) for my B.S. in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation while playing rugby full time. Since my graduation in 2019 I’ve been fortunate enough to work at some amazing marine labs in Puerto Rico, Florida Keys, and the Virgin Islands. At these labs I worked on parasitology, microbial ecology, coral restoration, and educational outreach. My favorite part about this career path is my ability to make direct impacts in and out of the water, whether it’s out planting coral or teaching the public about marine conservation I’m in love! I hope to one day start my own nonprofit focusing on coral restoration, educational outreach, and eco-tourism.

Race Stryker - I am originally from Montana, but I have lived in the U.A.E. and Florida for many years. I graduated from the New College of Florida with a degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science. I am interested in a wide range of topics like epiphyte conservation, plant insect interactions, forestry ecology, food security, and herpetology, but my interests are primarily guided by my desire for climate action. My undergraduate thesis focused on the intersection of mosquito control policies and climate change mitigation objectives in Florida’s mangrove forests. I think coastal ecosystems offer some of the best opportunities to create positive change for the environment, and for the people that depend on healthy ecosystems. I am excited to be in the MMES program at UVI, and I look forward to working on the VI-EPSCoR "Ridge to Reef” project with David Hensley. Outside of school, I enjoy hiking, gardening, and cooking. I am hoping to learn more about fishing and diving while in the VI.