[Maryland Sea Grant - Research Experiences for Undergraduates]
Students Research Abstracts
2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006
2005 • 2004 • 2004 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1997
Class of 2012
[class photo]
Steven DiFalco, Suny College New Paltz  [photo]
Investigating the effects of unusual weather patterns on water quality, sediment composition, and Submersed Aquatic Vegetation biomass at the Susquehanna Flats

Joshua Epstein, Rutgers University  [photo]
Comparing methods to quantify sperm storage in female blue crab Callinectes sapidus spermathecae

Michelle Ferraro, University of California Santa Barbara, CA  [photo]
Migration routes and corridors of the Eastern North Pacific Stock of the blue whale along the U.S. West Coast

Yasiel Figueroa, University of Puerto Rico  [photo]
The effects of plant density on the morphological and biomechanical properties of a tidal wetland macrophyte: Zizania aquatica

Hannah Geiser, Goshen College  [photo]
Presence of ammonia-oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria along physiochemical gradients in coastal beaches and estuaries

Benjamin Green, University of Iowa  [photo]
Sedimentation trends and their effect on nitrogen burial in the lower Potomac River

Michael Macon, Coastal Carolina University  [photo]
Modeling effects of community history on phytoplankton diversity under micro-scale physiochemical variations

Carolina Mendez, University of California Berkeley  [photo]
Effects of hypoxia on copepod predation by the ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi, in Chesapeake Bay

Gabriel Ng, Cornell University  [photo]
The effects of differential mixing of water masses on zooplankton communities

Kailee Potter, Adams State College  [photo]
Stability of Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with desferrioxamine B at seawater ionic strength

Caroline Rodriguez, Duke University  [photo]
Identifying nitrogen sources and antibiotic resistance within microbial contaminants in tributaries of Johnson Bay, Maryland Coastal Bays

Mohamed Sackor, University of Maryland Eastern Shore  [photo]
Diurnal variations in N2O gas fluxes from agricultural fields

Steven Sheets, Delaware Valley College  [photo]
Characterizing the distribution of methane flux from sediment to the water column in the Chesapeake Bay

Caroline Tapscott, Transylvania University  [photo]
Evaluating the nutrient and major anion composition of urban and forested streams in the Coastal Plain of Chesapeake Bay
Class of 2011
[class photo]
Karlena Brown, Delaware Valley College  [photo]
Surviving the Smelt Down Through the Investigation of Nutrient Effects on Phytoplankton

Jeff Dandoy, Johns Hopkins University  [photo]
Modeling of Subtidal Salinity and Velocity in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

Edna M. Díaz Negron, University of Hawaii, Hilo  [photo]
The Effects of Violacein-Producing Bacteria on Microzooplankton Grazing and Phytoplankton Growth

Andrea Eglinton, Gustavus Adolphus College  [photo]
Potential Sediment Exchange between Marshes and Adjacent Submersed Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Beds

Emily Gravens, Montana State University, Bozeman  [photo]
Modeling Nitrogen Loading for Hall Creek and Parker's Creek Watersheds

Kayla I. Hinson, University of Texas El Paso  [photo]
The Bailey Project: New Technologies to Support Shellfish Restoration

Jessica L. Hopkins, University of Maryland, Baltimore County  [photo]
Impact of Oyster Floats on Chesapeake Bay Water Quality

Julia Hopkins, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  [photo]
Quantifying the Propagation of the Amazon River Plume in the Western Tropical North Atlantic

Ashton Imlay, Tufts University  [photo]
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, Larvae in Coastal Atlantic Waters

Angela Kunrath, University of San Diego  [photo]
Ecosystem Consequences of Single Species MSY Fishing Policies in the Chesapeake Bay

Sarah Kwon, Eckerd College  [photo]
Mass Balance Analysis of Oyster Biodeposits

Jaimie Little, Mars Hill College  [photo]
Reconstructing Local Relative Sea Levels Using Current Sea Level and Faunal Zonation in the Peri-tidal Region of Chesapeake Bay

Brett J. Schuchardt, Elon University  [photo]
Acute Toxic Effects of Corexit 9500 on Larval Blue Crab, Callinectus sapidus, Life Stage

Hilary Staver, University of Maryland College Park  [photo]
Picophytoplankton Biomass and Productivity in the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers

Class of 2010
[class photo]
Candice Canady, Southern Arkansas University  [photo]
Analysis of Oxygen Isotope Ratios in the Coral Montastraea faveolata to Determine Climate Conditions in the Caribbean

Philip Conrad, Albion College  [photo]
Retention of various metals through metamorphism in grey tree frog (Hyla versicolor) larvae introduced through diet

Jonny Diehl, Brigham Young University  [photo]
Automating the process of counting the Scyphomedusa, Chrysaora quinquecirrha, in Chesapeake Bay

Emily Donaldson, Wilmington College  [photo]
Evaluation of the physiological effects of sublethal nitrite exposure in juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)

Jason Emmel, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University  [photo]
The influence of polychaetes and amphipods on denitrification rates within oyster reef communities

Whitley Gilbert, Iowa State University  [photo]
Determining denitrification through the measurement of excess N2 in upwelling groundwater in Choptank River streams

Anthony Luz, Cornell University  [photo]
Toxic effects of heavy metal containing fertilizers on the larval amphibian, Hyla versicolor

Jennifer Middleton, Fisk University  [photo]
Determining baseline levels of biomarkers in the arctic whelk, Neptunea heros

Khiem Nguyen, University of Maryland  [photo]
Profiling the summer seasonal characteristics of background suspended solids and resuspendable sediment for SAV site-selection criteria

Kelly Rooker, Bridgewater College  [photo]
The modeling and evaluation of wild rice Zizania aquatica particle capture at Jug Bay, Maryland

Robert Sabo, Mount St. Mary's University  [photo]
Polyfluorinated compounds in municipal wastewater effluents and surface waters discharging into the Chesapeake Bay

Katharine Studholme, St. Mary's College of Maryland  [photo]
Bacterial and viral abundance along a eutrophication gradient in tributaries of Johnson Bay, Maryland coastal bays, USA

David Walters, Longwood University  [photo]
Effect of elevation on sedimentation in a tidal freshwater wetlands system

Class of 2009
[class photo]
Laura Almodovar Acevedo, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez [photo]
Sediment dynamics at the Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary, Maryland, USA

Elizabeth Brunner, St. Mary's College [photo]
Factors Affecting Cyanobacterial Nitrogen-Fixation on the Sassafras River, a Tributary of the Chesapeake Bay

Marsha-Gail Davis, Swarthmore College [photo]
Sub-lethal Effects of Varying Levels of Hypoxia on the Egg Development of the Copepod, Acartia tonsa

Cristina Hernandez Gonzalez, University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla [photo]
The Role of Marshes in the Sediment Budget of the Corsica River, Maryland

Harold Manrique Hernández, University of Puerto Rico - Humacao [photo]
Effects of Temperature on Biochemical Oxygen Demand in Urbanizing Streams

Jordan Hill, Princeton University [photo]
Quantifying Nutrient Inputs to Chesapeake Bay: What are the Appropriate Sampling Intervals for Estimating Mean Nutrient Concentrations?

Lauren Hunker, University of Minnesota - Morris [photo]
Binding of Rare Earth Elements by Bacterial Siderophores

Zsolt Kormendy, University of Maine - Orono [photo]
Sediment Chronology: Environmental Impacts In The Tidal Sassafras River

Steve Lane, Spring Arbor University [photo]
The Use of Structure by Grass Shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio, as a Refuge Against Predators

Marion Maine, University of Maine - Orono [photo]
Comparison of the Toxic Effects of Copper Nanoparticles and Dissolved Copper Chloride on Larval Amphibian

Mayra Molina, Humboldt State University [photo]
The Effect of Different N:P Ratios and Light Levels on the Growth Rate of Prorocentrum minimum and Karlodinium veneficum, Two Harmful Dinoflagellate Species

James Saunders, Hampton University [photo]
Salinity Tolerances of Fouling Organisms and its Implications for Ship Hull Invasive Species

Jared Steed, College of Wooster [photo]
The Effects of Spawning Period and Weather Condition on Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Angler Effort

Ryan Steenson, South Dakota State University [photo]
Effects of Acidification on Shell Dynamics in the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica

Class of 2008
[class photo]
Caroline Baumgartner, Muhlenberg College [photo]
Sediment Grain Size in Current and Historical SAV Beds of the Chesapeake

Maureen Caupp, Frostburg State University [photo]
Comparison of Dentrification and Photosynthesis Rates Between Restored and "Natural" Marshes

Keala Cummings, Scripps College [photo]
Investigation of the Impact of Vegetation Type on Sedimentation Rates in a Freshwater Tidal Wetland, Jug Bay, Maryland, USA

Michelle D'Aguillo, College of William and Mary [photo]
Dissolved CO2 in Groundwater as a Measure of Microbial Respiration in Agriculturally Dominated Areas

Alina Ebling, Kutztown University [photo]
Characterization of Ulva lactuca (Sea Lettuce) Surface Functional Groups by Potentiometric Titrations

Victoria Garcia, Villanova University [photo]
Nutrient Uptake Efficiency in Five Wetland Plant Species of the Northeast United States

Tsega Gsilassie, University of Maryland Eastern Shore [photo]
Application of Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry to Assess Dissolved Gases to Investigate Denitrification, Photosynthesis, and Respiration

Jessica Hilton, Coastal Carolina University [photo]
Dietary Exposure to Vanadium and Selenium: Assessment of Bioaccumulation and Physiological Effects in Hyla versicolor

Emily Hutchinson, Florida State University [photo]
Variability in Abundance of the American Eel ( Anguilla rostrata) in the Potomac River

Amanda Liss, University of North Carolina Greensboro [photo]
The Effects of Low Temperature on the Sea Nettle Chrysaora quinquecirrha in the Choptank River

William Ludt, University of Arizona [photo]
Determining Egg Development Rates of Acartia tonsa in the Chesapeake Bay Using a DAPI Staining Technique and its Significance

Charles Morgan, Lyon College [photo]
Using Lipid Biomarkers to Determine the Diet History of Euphausiids in the Bering Sea

Hazel Ruiz, Bucknell University [photo]
Acidification Effects on Soft Shell Clam Biocalcification

Madeline Wedge, LaSalle University [photo]
A Preliminary Assessment of Trophic Ecology of Three Abundant Meso-Predator Elasmobranchs From a Shallow Middle Atlantic Bight Habitat
Class of 2007
[class photo]
Nicole M. Carlozo, St. Mary's College of Maryland [photo]
Water chemistry fluctuations in response to human population and land use in the Delaware River, Hudson River, and Chesapeake basins

Alexander R. Davies, Millersville University [photo]
An analysis of future climate predicted for the Chesapeake Bay by the IPCC AR4 models

Lisa M. Guy, Salisbury University [photo]
Spatial variation in age, growth, and mortality of white perch ( Morone americana) across estuaries of the Chesapeake Bay

Kimberly J. Hohlweg, Pennsylvania State University [photo]
Sub-lethal effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) on DNA integrity and gonadal and thyroid structure of snapping ( Chelydra serpentina) and red-eared slider turtles ( Trachemys scripta)

Kiera Jarvis, Westminster College [photo]
Species composition and distribution of larval fish at the mouths of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

Miriam C. Maynard-Ford, University of Mary Washington [photo]
Benthic nutrient flux rates and organic degradation in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

David M. Needham, Huntingdon College [photo]
Viral and bacterial abundance and distribution in the coastal bays of Maryland, USA along a gradient of eutrophication

Elizabeth Santos, University of Maryland College Park [photo]
Analysis of ribosomal RNA genes is Chesapeake Bay bacterioplankton fosmid libraries

Judith Sarkodee-Adoo, Florida A&M University [photo]
The effects of temperature on scyphomedusan Chrysaora quinquecirrha swimming and mortality

Alison M. Straka, Catholic University of America [photo]
Sorption of the rare earth elements on Ulva lactuca (sea lettuce)

Lisa M. Wilt, Rutgers University [photo]
Estimation of site-specific mortality rates of eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica in Chesapeake Bay and causes of regional variation

Moncia V. Wright, University of Maryland Baltimore County [photo]
Sedimentation in St. Martin River and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Jennie M. Yuda, Lycoming College [photo]
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) levels and function in algal Symbiodinium sp. isolated from cnidarians
Class of 2006
[class photo]
Andrea Abler, University of Maryland, Baltimore County [photo]
The effects of differing hurricane tracks on storm surges on the Chesapeake Bay

Jennifer Barkman, Auburn University [photo]
Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on snapping turtle behavior and metabolism

Jeanette Davis, Hampton University [photo]
Nitrogen fixation associated with macrophytes and sediment along a salinity gradient in the Chesapeake Bay region

Erin Dreis, Northern State University [photo]
Bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in the polychaete worm Nereis virens.

Abby Grabitz, Alma College [photo]
The use of 210 Pb chronology and amino acid analysis to understand organic matter cycling in the Arctic

Rebecca Halvorson, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse [photo]
Phosphorus cycling in estuarine sediments: pH and redox contributions to phosphorus fluxes in the Corsica River, Maryland

Todd Johnson, California State University, Fresno [photo]
The influence of spatial variation and dispersal on the composition of microbial communities

Amanda Klingensmith, St. Francis University [photo]
Phylogenetic screening of ribosomal RNA gene-containing clones in fosmid libraries from Chesapeake Bay bacterioplankton

Colette LeBeau, Maine Maritime Academy [photo]
Geochronology and characterization of grain size and trace metals in sediment cores collected from the Corsica River, Maryland

Audrey McDonald, Colorado State University [photo]
Assessing acute and sub-lethal effects of physically and chemically dispersed oil on the soft coral Xenia elongata

Kimberly Pierce, Clarkson University [photo]
Effect of denitrification on methanogenesis in groundwater of agricultural areas in the Choptank River watershed

Katharine Smith, Princeton University [photo]
The effects of oyster reefs and breakwaters on seagrass beds.

Student Supported From Other Sources

Sylmar Santos-Corujo, University of Puerto Rico, Humacao [photo]
A comparison of microbial pathogen bioaccumulation in Crassotrea virginica and Crassostrea ariakensis
Class of 2005
[class photo]
Aleszu Bajak, Amherst College [photo]
Community composition of bacteria associated with Zostera marina within and across beds in the Chesapeake Bay

Thais Daddario, Rhode Island College [photo]
Analysis of rRNA genes of a fosmid library constructed from Chesapeake Bay bacterioplankton

Jonathan Doyle, Duke University [photo]
Effects of diets enriched with different fatty acids on survival and growth of clownfish fry, Amphiprion frenatus and Amphiprion ocellaris

Kahla Elliston, Texas A&M University [photo]
Nitrogen fixation in various estuarine environments of Chesapeake Bay

Joseph Hunt, Virginia Tech [photo]
Contamination history of Maryland's Chesapeake and coastal Bays using dated cores

Adam Obaza, University of Miami [photo]
Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the behavior of snapping turtles ( Chelydra serpentina)

Andrew Ostrowski, University of North Carolina [photo]
Effects of food availability on the RNA: DNA ratio in the habitats of juvenile Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tryannus, in the Patuxent River system

Kristen VanSant, Texas A&M University [photo]
Characterization and migratory behavior of microphytobenthos in the Chesapeake Bay

Catherine Wade, University of Maryland [photo]
Effects of elevated ammonium levels in sedimentary habitats on productivity, recruitment, and growth in the field

Jacqueline Walters, SUNY [photo]
Assessing the acute toxicity of oil and dispersed oil to the symbiotic sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima

Students Supported From Other Sources

Eric Von Battles, Jr., Hampton University [photo]
Artificially inducted tuber production and SAV restoration on the Chesapeake Bay

Benjamin Fertig, University of Maryland [photo]
The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, as a biological indicator of nitrogen sources

Ian Huybregts, University of Lethbridge [photo]
Potential of VOS to stop ballast water invasions in freshwater environments
Class of 2004
[class photo]
Nicole Abel, Gannon University [photo]
Spatial Variability in Larval White Perch, Morone Americana, Diet and Growth in the Upper Chesapeake Bay

Barbara Beckingham, Hobert and William Smith College [photo]
Nitrogen Cycling and Redox Transitions across the Pycnocline in Chesapeake Bay

Mitchell Buck, Johns Hopkins University [photo]
Analysis of a Community Model for the Chesapeake Bay: Annual Variations and Comparisons with Field Data

Cory Catts, University of Florida [photo]
Microzooplankton Grazing Influence on Phytoplankton Population Dynamics and Bloom Formation

Amanda Ellis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [photo]
The Effects of Copper on Extractable Lipofuscin and Oxidative Stress in the Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus

Jenna Gustafsson, University of Minnesota [photo]
Factors Contributing to the Methylation of Mercury in Maryland Reservoirs

Catherine Haberkorn, McGill University [photo]
Variability and Effects of Wind Mixing on Dissolved Oxygen Depletion and Estuarine Circulation in the Chesapeake Bay

Jennifer Hurt, University of Wisconsin [photo]
Applying Bioenergetics to Determine Predatory Demand of Weakfish in the Chesapeake Bay

Barbara Jacobson, University of North Carolina [photo]
Nutrient Cycling and Biogeochemistry of Sediments Inhabited by two Contrasting Submersed Plant Species

Rachel Leigh, Oxford College of Emory University [photo]
The Environmental Control of Toxicity in Prorocentrum minimum

Sarah Marnell, Spring Hill College [photo]
Nutrient Uptake Potential of Four Freshwater Ornamental Plants

Tracey Myers, Youngstown State University [photo]
Ammonia Flux Measurements at the Air-Water Interface on the Chesapeake Bay

Julie Palakovich, Boston University [photo]
Effect of a Restored Oyster Reef ( Crassostrea virginica) on Water Quality in a Subestuary of the Chesapeake Bay

Cherie Peranteau, Richard Stockton College [photo]
Estuarine Bacterioplankton Metabolism and Diversity across a Seasonal Oxygen Gradient
Class of 2003
[class photo]
Keith Douglass, Roger Williams University [photo]
The Impact of Ammonium on the Recruitment and Growth of Arenicola cristata in its Different Life Stages

Rebekah Duncan, Eckerd College [photo]
Grazing Habits of Eurytemora affinis and Acartia tonsa in Turbid and Non-turbid Environments.

Christina Geierman, Michigan State University [photo]
Linking Oysters and Seagrasses: Using Breakwaters as an Analogue to Oyster Reefs

Sarah Henson, The College of St. Rose [photo]
The Biogeochemistry of Seagrass and Sediment in Contrasting Ruppia maritima Beds.

Stephanie Hurder, Richard Stockton College [photo]
Use of Fluorescent Particles to Determine the Zone of Oyster Biodeposition Under Field Conditions

William Kaminski, Southampton College [photo]
Feeding Ecology in the Lined Seahorse, Hippocampus erectus, in the Chesapeake Bay

Janet Krenn, University of Illinois [photo]
The Influence of Microphytobenthos on Resuspension in Shallow Estuaries: A Comparison between Florida and Chesapeake Bays

Alessandra Paolicchi, Texas A&M University [photo]
Binding Capabilities of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) to Dissolved Organic Carbon and Activated Carbon

Laura Rubiano-Gomez, MIT [photo]
Characterization of Suspended Particle Sinking Speeds in the Upper Chesapeake Bay
Class of 2002
Paul Allen, Salisbury University
Mortality Index Determination for Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica, Seed Transport

Kelly Kearney, University of Miami
A Model for Nutrient Pathways in the Choptank Rive

Elisabeth Kittredge, Mount Holyoke College
Biogeochemical Cycling in the Seagrass Bed Thalassia testudinum in Florida Bay and Zostera marina in Chesapeake Bay

Lisa Malkiel, University of Maryland College Park
The Impact of Food Concentration, Organism Density, and Chemical Facilitative Cues on the Feeding Mode and Growth of Macoma balthica

Sarah Stein, University of Vermont
The Demise and Recovery of a Seagrass Habitat following a Barrier Island Overwash

Marissa Yates, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Characterizing Suspended Sediments in the Estuarine Turbidity Maximum Zone of the Chesapeake Bay

Alexander Zorach, Oberlin University
Ascendency as a Quantitative Measure of Complexity
Class of 2001
Matthew Behum, Colgate University
The effect of small-scale turbulence on the feeding success of the non-visual predator, Mnemiopsis leidyi

Leslie Brandt, Gustavus Adolphus College
Epiphytic algae as UV filters on leaves of the seagrasses Zostera marina L. and Ruppia maritime L.

Edward Galbavy, Tufts University
Development and implementation of a precise mobile device measuring atmospheric ammonia and ammonium aerosols throughout southeast Maryland

Elizabeth Kennedy, Iowa State University
Sub-lethal effects of contaminants on Leptocheirus plumulosis

Tracy Jo Williams, Florida Southern College
The effects of population densities and behavior of Macoma balthica on nutrient exchange and primary production in coastal sediments

Class of 2000
Greer Anderson, University of Miami
Effects of varying salinity stress on fecundity, survivorship and population dynamics of the calaniod copepod Eurytemora affinis

Christine M. Bergeron, Assumption College
Analysis of Size-Specific Total Mercury Concentrations in Predatory Fish of Maryland Reservoirs

Meghann Clark, Lycoming College
Sediment Disturbance and its Effect on Methylmercury

Katherine Dalton, University of Maryland
Fine Scale Vertical Distribution of Zooplankton in an Estuarine System

Elizabeth S. Darrow, University of Virginia
Chemotactic response of Mercenaria mercenaria hemocytes to Labyrinthilomycota spp. in vitro

Angela Dubois, Bowdoin College
Stimulative Effects Of Sediment Pore Water And Defined Organic Compounds On The Growth Of Prorocentrum Minimum Populations

Andrea Jones, LaSalle University
Comparison and Specificity of Two Methods for Determining Urea in Estuarine Water

John Matkowski, Coastal Carolina University
Investigation of the Effects of Contaminated Sediments on Three Species of Estuarine Macro-Invertebrates

Lucas Pignolet, Chaminade University
Spatial Distribution of Adult Copepods and Cladocera In and Around the Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Turbidity Maximum

Matthew Reaugh, East Stroudsburg University
Effects of harmful algal blooms on the reproductive success and somatic growth of Acartia tonsa in the Chesapeake Bay

Michelle Rome, Brown University
Grazing on Gyrodinium galatheanum and Prorocentrum minimum by Microzooplankton in the Chesapeake Bay

Jennifer Sallee, Roger Williams University
Impact of breakwater induced sediment deposition on submerged aquatic vegetation

Jennifer Sallee, Roger Williams University

Sylvia Schaefer, University of Virginia
Uptake of Trace Metals from Suspended Sediments by the Calanoid Copepod Eurytemora Affinis
Class of 1997
Bryce Brylawski, St. Mary's College
A field and laboratory exploration of the blue crab, Callinecties sapidus, growth, mortality, and retention of T Bar Anchor tags

Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Virginia Tech College
The effects of plant species and trophic level diversity on production in salt marsh mesocosms

Michelle Rau, Duke University College
Effects of the herbicide 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on the expression of CYP2M1 and CYP2K1 in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus

Kimberly Thomas, University of South Carolina College
Composition and molecular weight fractionation DOM and POM produced by the diatom Skeletonema costatum in situ and in the chlorophyll maximum of the Delaware Estuary.