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Caldonia Carmello
Fellowship Institution:
Start Year
2024Caldonia (Cally) received a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, with a minor in marine science, from the University of Delaware in 2023. While there, she conducted research on a wide variety of topics related to climate change, coastal science, and plant ecology. Before joining MDSG, Cally worked in positions across the country learning about conservation, land management, and science communication. A common interest throughout her academic and professional career has been in the intersection between human and natural environments and the ways in which they shape one another.
As a Science Management and Policy Intern, Cally contributed to workshops and initiatives related to topics such as collaborations between artists and scientists, sustainable aquaculture siting, best practices for Sea Grant Extension partnerships, Chesapeake Bay wetland mapping, and resilient community design. After her internship, Cally will pursue a master’s degree in biological and agricultural engineering at North Carolina State University.
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Sea Grant Film Explores a Diminishing Smithville
Smithville is a community on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, on the edge of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. A century ago, Smithville had more than 100 residents. Today, it has four, in two homes: an elderly couple, and one elderly woman and her son, who cares for her.
Featured Fellow
Nina Santos
Featured Research Project
Geochronology Study of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Deposition and Ecosystem Response in the Chesapeake & Maryland Coastal Bays
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmentally persistent contaminants linked to adverse health outcomes in humans and wildlife. In Maryland's Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Bays, PFAS accumulation in sediments and biota, as well as their ecological impacts, remain poorly understood. This project will reconstruct multidecadal PFAS deposition histories using sediment cores, apply microbial community profiling to assess benthic ecosystem responses, and translate findings into practical guidance for aquaculture and environmental management.