Short History
I was born and raised in Detroit, MI, where my interest in science was sparked. My interest in marine systems did not evolve until I started my undergraduate degree. I received my B.S. in Marine Sciences from Savannah State University in 2019. After graduating I started as a lab tech at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory for a year. There I mostly worked on the ecology of oyster at different life stages, using multiple techniques. I am starting as a master’s student in the graduate program of oceanography in 2021
Research Interests
On a broader scope, I am interested in how organisms are using available resources in changing habitats and how these changes can impact an ecosystem. I am also interested in studying how non-aquaculture species interact with sustainable aquaculture practices. My research will focus on the habitat enhancement of hard clams to improve larval recruitment. This work will also include the preservation of clam farms from cownose ray predation in Great Bay. In New Jersey, the hard clam aquaculture industry has decreased in recent years due to multiple factors including, cownose ray predation and limited leasing sites. There is the potential for new leases to be permitted but in deeper waters, but they would be more difficult to maintain. Determining habitat enhancement methods that are low maintenance for the farmer and prevent cownose ray predation could be beneficial to the farmer and the overall clam aquaculture industry in New Jersey.