National Science Foundation Scholar

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Harris, I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri. I received my undergrad degree at Missouri State University with my B.S focused on wildlife biology. My biggest interest in undergrad was freshwater invertebrates and stream ecology. My interest in marine biology sprouts from visiting family on the coasts. During my undergrad, I got to study away with SEA Education sailing around the lesser Antilles studying coral reefs. While a graduate student, I would love to explore coral reef invertebrates and coral reef ecology for my thesis. My hobbies include crafting, hiking, and anything outside or on the water.

National Science Foundation Scholar

My name is Adeline Shelby and I am originally from Dallas, Texas! I turned a 4-hour drive to the nearest beach to 15-minutes when I decided to go to the University of Miami. I graduated in 2019 with a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology. During my time there I helped conduct research on staghorn coral in an ocean acidification laboratory, interned at the Center for Sustainable Development in Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas, and studied abroad in the Galapagos Islands. I've become particularly interested in coral conservation and restoration. So, I am happy to be interning with Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo, Florida this summer where I get to assist with reef monitoring, harvesting, and outplanting! I'm very excited to get to continue this kind of work as a research assistant for Dr. Tyler Smith.

Hello! I’m Erin, and I am a Master’s student in Tyler’s lab. I am from Northern California but moved down to Los Angeles to study marine biology at UCLA. There, I worked in an oceanography lab and got to spend time exploring and researching the Pacific Ocean. As an undergraduate, I also spent a quarter at UCSD working in a coral lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and a quarter abroad in Tahiti researching algal interactions, marine ecology, and animal behavior.

After UCLA, I was excited to move to the Virgin Islands to pursue marine ecology research with the Smith Lab. My graduate research entails analyzing the Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program (TCRMP) data to understand intricacies behind coral-algal interactions and to model how the benthic composition of Virgin Islands reefs has changed over the past decade. I want to understand what biophysical and anthropogenic factors are influencing change on the reefs, and how future projections of these variables will influence benthic composition. I am also experimenting with how a common Caribbean macroalgae impacts a coral’s response to and recovery from heat stress.

Outside of my own research, I love open water swimming, assisting with other research projects, hiking, and exploring the Virgin Islands!

National Science Foundation Scholar

My name is Zachary Gregory. I am from Washington State and received a bachelor’s in marine biology from Western Washington University. During my undergrad I found myself fascinated by habitat forming species such as anemones and corals. This fascination led me to many opportunities such as running independent experiments on coral bleaching in the Sea of Cortez and spent a summer aiding in propagation of corals such as Acropora Palmata and Acropora Cervicornis through MOTE Marine Laboratory’s Coral Reef Restoration Internship. I also spent my time volunteering in aiding WWU’s Surfrider Club with beach cleanups and organizing public outreach events. I have spent the past two years working with one of Washington’s native tribe where I have worked on monitoring salmon populations, restored riparian habitat, and aided in climate modeling. I am excited that my path has brought me to the MMES program at UVI, and for the experiences I’ll get during my time at St. Thomas.

Good day! My name is Spencer Parr, and I am a Master’s student in Tyler Smith’s Lab. I was born and raised in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands but moved up to Washington state after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science with a Marine Emphasis from Western Washington University. At this University, I had the opportunity to study trace elements in snow algae, where I mastered how to use an ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer). I also was able to work with the University of Victoria, B.C. Canada by monitoring Bull kelp populations within the Puget Sound using ROVs. This undergraduate coursework and research experience have strengthened my understanding of the consequences of climate change and other anthropogenic effects on the marine biome and benthic communities.

Immediately following graduation, I moved back to the Virgin Islands to pursue reef ecology research in the Smith lab. Here I have found interest in bioeroding sponges and their impact on coral reef health and framework. I want to find out what environmental factors have contributed to a sudden increase in bioeroding sponge abundance here in the USVI in the last decade. I am also attempting to compare the volume and surface area of these sponges between their attachment to different coral species, using 3D photogrammetry. While I am not in the field, my other loves consist of volleyball, free-diving, hiking, and sailing!