Tyler is a biogeochemist studying how material and chemical elements are cycled through marine and coastal ecosystems. His research focuses on the carbon cycle in systems such as coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and calcium carbonate sediments. He is interested in the role that these ecosystems play in the global carbon cycle and how they will be affected by climate change.

Carisa MacPherson is one of Georgia Southern University’s first Environmental Science PhD students, where her research explores how seagrass and enhanced mineral weathering can work together to amplify blue carbon capture and marine carbon dioxide removal. Her work examines whether adding alkaline minerals such as olivine to seagrass ecosystems can improve seawater chemistry, support coastal resilience, and help mitigate ocean acidification. Carisa’s Florida Bay research investigates how seagrass-modified seawater may contribute to the resilience of Florida’s Coral Reef, including the role of carbonate chemistry and groundwater connectivity. Carisa is a ForEverglades Fellowship recipient, a Women in Ocean Science ambassador, and the founder of Think and Drink with the Scientists, a monthly public outreach event that brings marine and coastal science into the Savannah community.

James is a PhD student in GSU's Environmental Science program. His background is in marine biology and chemistry, and he completed his masters thesis on carbon cycling in Sargassum seaweed wrack. His current research focuses on ocean alkalinity enhancement as a method of marine carbon dioxide removal. He is currently researching the use of olivine in coastal OAE and the effects of OAE on calcium carbonate sediments in coral reefs.

Alex is a marine scientist and incoming PhD student at Georgia Southern University, where she’ll be joining the Coastal Carbon Lab. During her master’s degree, her research focused on identifying the mechanisms that may help temperate corals cope with the impacts of ocean acidification. That work sparked a deeper interest in not only understanding the effects of acidification, but also in exploring solutions to prevent or mitigate its consequences—an interest she’ll continue to pursue in her doctoral research. Outside the lab, Alex has contributed to a wide range of fieldwork projects, including sea turtle nesting research, scientific diving at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, and coral studies on the Great Barrier Reef. She’s passionate about science communication and aims to spend her career, not only working to reverse the effects of climate change but also making marine science accessible and meaningful to everyone.

Tuyen is an undergraduate researcher in the Coastal Carbon Lab and a participant in the Emerging Researchers Program. In the lab, she helps run analytical equipment while building strong research skills that will support her goal of becoming a dentist. After graduating from Georgia Southern University, Tuyen plans to attend dental school and contribute to improving oral healthcare and education.

Jenny Mallon is a Smith Conservation Research Fellow who has been involved with the Coastal Carbon Lab since its inception. Her research focuses on bridging the gap between coral reef restoration and scientific research, with an emphasis on reef biogeochemistry. Her current project investigates the potential for alkalinity enhancement to support reef restoration by improving seawater carbonate chemistry. Working with partners in the Florida Keys, she is conducting experiments to directly measure the physiological responses of restoration corals to enhanced alkalinity. Jenny is also the founder of Coral Observer (www.coralobserver.com), an app designed to streamline the collection and management of coral spawning data across the Caribbean, supporting collaborative research and conservation efforts.

Dr. Alyson Lowell joined the Coastal Carbon Lab in early 2026 as a postdoctoral researcher. She is broadly interested in understanding how calcification responds to alkalinity enhancement. She is currently conducting mechanistic studies to understand how trace metal components of olivine influence embryonic development of oysters, while simultaneously developing additional frameworks to understand OAE in temperate and tropical systems. She was previously a Knauss fellow in the U.S. Senate and is currently completing a research fellowship with the Carbon to Sea Initiative to broadly understand the environmental impacts of OAE.

Dr. Alyson Lowell joined the Coastal Carbon Lab in early 2026 as a postdoctoral researcher. She is broadly interested in understanding how calcification responds to alkalinity enhancement. She is currently conducting mechanistic studies to understand how trace metal components of olivine influence embryonic development of oysters, while simultaneously developing additional frameworks to understand OAE in temperate and tropical systems. She was previously a Knauss fellow in the U.S. Senate and is currently completing a research fellowship with the Carbon to Sea Initiative to broadly understand the environmental impacts of OAE.

Kira Davis is an MS student in the Biology program at Georgia Southern University and a member of the Coastal Carbon Lab. Her research focuses on oysters and ocean alkalinity enhancement, with an interest in understanding how oyster reef systems interact with seawater chemistry and their potential role in coastal carbon cycling. Through her work, Kira aims to better understand how shellfish habitats may contribute to resilient coastal ecosystems and emerging marine carbon dioxide removal strategies.