The People Behind the Science

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. Most of Tyler's work involves making seawater chemistry measurements in the field using state-of-the-art technology, with a focus on carbon dioxide, methane, total alkalinity, oxygen, and submarine groundwater discharge. By measuring these parameters we hope to get a better understanding of where and how carbon moves between the land and sea.

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Jenny joined the lab in 2019 as a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, Scotland investigating coral reef metabolism. During her PhD, she measured calcification and photosynthesis of corals and calcifying algae at different scales ranging from the organism to the ecosystem. She carried out fieldwork in Akumal, Mexico, where, before her PhD, Jenny developed a reef restoration program. Each summer she returns to Mexico to coordinate coral spawning collection and fertilization in Akumal with the CORALIUM  research group at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and Coral Conservation Society. As Jenny has now completed her PhD research, she hopes to continue working with the marine biogeochem lab at NSU and collaborators in Florida as a postdoc. She is interested in better understanding calcification on coral reefs and applying this knowledge to support coral reef conservation and restoration. 

Jordan is a Marine Science master's student at Nova Southeastern University. I received my B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy at the University of South Florida in Tampa. I completed an internship with the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, where I was involved in water sample collection and assisting environmental scientists with Tampa Bay water quality projects. My current research focuses on how groundwater sources influence the carbon cycle in an urban mangrove system. My project involves surveying groundwater discharge throughout West Lake mangrove system in Hollywood, FL.  Assessing carbon sequestration and groundwater discharge rates improves our understanding of potential climate change impacts from ecosystem degradation.  

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Gretchen  is pursuing her master’s in marine sciences at NSU. She is a Maine native, who received her B.S. from the University of Maine in marine sciences with a concentration in biology. Her research focuses on the biogeochemistry and carbon cycle of West Lake Park mangrove system in Hollywood, FL. Her project utilizes traditional sampling methods, as well as two forms of citizen science: an Aqualink buoy (www.aqualink.org) and Smartfin (www.smartfin.org). Gretchen is also the program coordinator at the Marine Environmental Education Center, where she works with a green sea turtle named, Captain. Gretchen’s passion for research, education, and societal change has led her on a path to work in marine policy, where she hopes to help instigate change by educating the public on marine related issues and topics.

Amanda received a B.S. in Microbiology in 2015 from George Mason University (GMU). She is currently finishing her M.S. in Marine Sciences at NSU. Amanda was a lab assistant in the chemistry department during her third year at GMU and continued lab work as a microbiologist at Healthy Buildings Solutions. Her love of the ocean has lead her to work at Riverhead Aquarium, the National Aquarium, and the Florida Aquarium. Her dissertation research is focused on the influence of ocean acidification on the calcification rates of different organisms. She is particularly interested in restoration and efforts to help support coral reef ecosystems.

Joe is a senior undergraduate student pursuing double majors in Marine Biology and Biology, as well as minors in Research Studies and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. He graduated from Clarkstown South High School as an Eagle Scout and currently serves as the President of the Nature Club and the Climate Change Committee Chair of the Green Sharks Sustainability Club at NSU. He is interested in constructing devices that can be used to gather data on biotic and abiotic conditions in vital coastal ecosystems like mangrove swamps and coral reefs. He is particularly interested in how climate change and rising sea levels present threats to these ecosystems. His hope is to help design safe and sustainable methods to engineer these ecosystems in order to be more resilient against the rapidly changing conditions they now face. 

Indaya is a first-year undergraduate freshman at NSU pursuing a major in Environmental Science. She graduated from Montverde Academy High School and was a committee member leader of  Environmental Club. Indaya was apart of Programming Club, French Honor Society, National Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars.. Indaya is interested in studying how the calcification of coral reefs affect the sediments of an ecosystem.

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Alex completed her thesis on the variability of seawater carbon chemistry in the West Lake and Whiskey Creek mangrove ecosystems in August 2021. Alex now works for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as a Lead Biologist.

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Aziz is a third-year undergrad student perusing a major in marine biology, a minor in biology, and a minor in marine ecology. He graduated from Shaker Heights High school in 2019 as a member of the environmental science club as well as volunteered at the Great Lakes science center in Cleveland Ohio for two summer years. Here at NSU, he is the current president of both the Gnarly Army or surfing club and the E-sports club as well as the treasure of the Gnarly army and a member of the marine biology club. He is interested in collecting coastal data from coral reefs as well as researching how planktivorous elasmobranchs affect the marine food web and how they change with rising ocean acidification and changes in acidity and temperature in the pelagic waters.