I am a second-year Ph.D. student in Environmental Life Science. I work with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences studying zooplankton ecology, taxonomy, and the contribution of their fecal pellets to the oceanic carbon cycle in the Sargasso Sea. I received my B.Sc. in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and graduated with an MS (M.Res.) in Ocean Science from the University of Southampton. I have a wide range of interests relating to taxonomy, biogeography, and biodiversity as well as the conservation of varying open ocean and deep-sea ecosystems.

My name is Ashley Foster and I am a PhD student in the Environmental Life Sciences program. My work focuses on freshwater water management and environmental causes of harmful algal blooms in freshwater lakes. In addition, I study the spatial distribution of water quality parameters in the Gila watershed in metro Phoenix. The goal of my work is to support freshwater management practices with scientific research.

I am a first year Ph.D. student in Environmental Life Sciences and currently researching sinking particles and their microbial communities collected in the Sargasso Sea. The primary goal of my research is to understand how microorganisms change the structure and content of sinking particles that affect the carbon sink. My interests include climate change, oceanography, and environmental chemistry. I hope to become a teacher once I receive my PhD, where I will try to inspire a passion of STEM in the next generations.

I am an Environmental Life Sciences PhD candidate co-advised by Dr. Susanne Neuer and Beth Polidoro. My research focuses on assessing persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and debris in American Samoa. The goals are to evaluate potential hazards of local pollution, listen and incorporate community input, and bring together key players to apply solutions for pollution.

In recent years, I have become increasingly involved in online teaching and curriculum development in SoLS. I am interested in how we can continue to improve the online educational experience, and how we can better support students, TAs, and professors as education continues to move online.

I am a research specialist in the Neuer lab. I study the growth and aggregate formation of particle-associated heterotrophic marine bacteria from the Sargasso Sea to understand their contribution to the biological carbon pump. I am, also, exploring carbon utilization and the relationship between phytoplankton, bacteria, and their respective exudates.

I am an undergraduate student majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Music. I routinely prepare media for phytoplankton cultures and have been learning about proper culturing procedures and sterile techniques. I have aided graduate students with carrying out experiments on heterotrophic bacteria aggregation. I am interested in the bacterial communities on microplastics in the ocean and their interaction with phytoplankton.

I am a senior undergraduate student pursuing a BS in Microbiology. My research interests involve heterotrophic marine bacteria and their interactions with lithogenous clay particles.

My name is Janna Hynds and I am an Honors undergraduate student pursuing concurrent degrees in Conservation Biology and Ecology & Earth and Environmental Studies. I joined the Neuer lab in the hopes of learning more about microbiology and oceans. I am currently working on quantifying and identifying bloom-forming algae in lake samples from Saguaro Lake to investigate if there is a relationship between algae and watercolor in different seasons. I hope to pursue further education in the upcoming years with the goal of spreading ocean conservation knowledge to future STEM students.