Ocean Adhikari is a first year undergraduate in the BU Marine Program. He is excited to study mud- specifically Boston Harbor mud. He is looking forward to measuring biogeochemical fluxes in sediments. Outside of class, Ocean is an avid member of the BU Cheese Club. He was born on Saipan, an Island of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana’s Islands, and has loved the ocean ever since.
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Inaya Abdul-Haqq is a second-year student at Boston University studying marine science and English. Although from Atlanta, Georgia, Inaya has always had an interest in the ocean and grew up watching ocean documentary DVDs. Now capable of much more at BU, Inaya plans to involve herself in marine ecological research and maybe even write an ocean-themed children's book or two. She is interested in marine megafaunal ecology as well as the long-term impact of climate change on nitrogen fixation in marine ecosystems.
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Sawyer Balint graduated from Brown University with an Sc.B. in Environmental Science and recently finished a two-year appointment at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellow, where he investigated the biogeochemical responses of estuaries to climate change and managed nitrogen reductions. Funded by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Sawyer is working to measure benthic gas fluxes through the development of an in-situ underwater mass spectrometer. If you can’t find him in the lab, he's probably sailing in the North Atlantic with his family.
Brenden Blakley is a 4th Year Undergraduate, pursuing a B.A. in Marine Science. He grew up in a small town in Kansas. He chose to study marine science in order to help protect the ocean and the life it harbors. He hopes to eventually figure out what career he wants to pursue in order to obtain that goal. This summer he is funded by the BU Undergraduate research opportunity program to study the Si cycle in macroalgae.
Meredith Fritsch is a second year undergraduate student currently pursuing a degree in marine science at Boston University. She grew up on the waters of Southeast Alaska, fascinated by local marine ecosystems and determined to dedicate her life to the study of the ocean. Her interests include biological oceanography, climate change, anthropogenic impacts on the ocean, and marine conservation. Outside of the lab, Meredith can be found researching sharks and whales, reading, skating with the Boston University Synchronized Skating Team, or enjoying the outdoors.
Ilana Jacobs is a second year undergraduate at Boston University pursuing her B.A. In Marine Science. She grew up in Denver Colorado, and spent her summers in Woods Hole, MA. Most recently worked on developing genetic tools to study an anoxic ciliate and the function of the Mitochondrial Related Organelle with Dr. Virginia Edgcomb and Dr. Colleen Cavanaugh at WHOI/Harvard. Ilana is most interested in studying the impacts of microbial communities on biogeochemical cycles in the deep sea. Outside of the lab, Ilana loves scuba diving, skiing, and backpacking!
Melissa Ederington Hagy received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a M.S. in Marine Science from the University of Maryland College Park. Her graduate research at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory focused on the transfer of biomarkers in a marine food web. Upon graduation, she worked at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science where she was involved in research using biomarkers as indicators of organic matter in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Most recently she was a research associate at the University of West Florida where she participated in projects measuring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Melissa has extensive experience with a variety of analytical instruments such as Nutrient AutoAnalyzer, GC, GC/MS, and HPLC.
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Nia Bartolucci graduated magna cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in 2017 with a BA in Environmental Studies and a concentration in ecosystem science. She is interested in studying how climate change and other anthropogenic impacts are affecting the biogeochemistry and ecosystem function of coastal wetlands. Funded by NOAA Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship and Clare Booth Luce Scholarship, Nia is currently studying how we can make coastal wetlands more resilient to rising sea levels in New England. Specifically, her dissertation research investigates how the salt marsh resiliency strategy thin layer placement of sediment (TLP) impacts salt marsh biogeochemistry.
Zoë Ertürk is a fourth year undergraduate at Boston University pursuing a B.A. in Marine Science with a minor in Biology. She grew up in southern California, picking up trash from the beaches and playing soccer in the sand. Having watched the ecosystem species composition and physical structure change over the past two decades, Zoë wants to help preserve biodiversity in marine ecosystems via research and policy.
Alex Geisser received her B.S in Marine Science with a minor in Environmental Science from the University of New England in 2020. She is interested in exploring the role of macroalgae in coastal biogeochemical cycling, carbon sequestration, and how it may be affected by climate change. Funded by RI Sea Grant, Alex is currently studying the potential for macroalgae to act as a reservoir for pathogenic vibrio bacteria in the context of oyster aquaculture.
Lydia Jefferson holds a BS degree in Environmental Sciences-Water from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to their graduate studies, they focused on land use's impacts on respiration rates in urban streams. At BU, they are interested in studying the intersectionality between urban and coastal water quality and environmental injustice. Outside of the lab, Lydia enjoys spending time with loved ones and eating Thai food.
Cat Mahoney graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 2021 with a B.S. in Oceanography. During her time at MMA, she completed a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, investigating alternative phosphorus sources for open ocean phytoplankton. She was also a recipient of the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings scholarship and was a data analytics intern for the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, researching methane sources in Puget Sound. Cat is passionate about coastal and marine environments and loves to spend her days out on the ocean. She will be joining the Fulweiler lab as part of the Rhode Island Sea Grant funded N-fixation project in Narragansett Bay.
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Musfika Mishi is a fourth year undergraduate student studying biology with a concentration in Cellular, Molecular and Genetics. Growing up in Bangladesh and NYC, she was frequently exposed to the effects of climate change in the form of water pollution, hurricanes, and constant flooding, leading to her growing interest in ecology and environmental sciences. Outside of the lab, you can find her trying new cuisines, hanging out with friends and reading. Musfika hopes to pursue an MS in Ecology and possibly attend medical school afterwards.
Helena Shenk grew up in Connecticut a stone's throw away from Mystic Seaport (two hours away but close enough) with three siblings and two cats. Although I had been considering paleontology or archeology, I ultimately set my sights on marine biology. I recently moved to Massachusetts with my family. I am now major in Marine Science.
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Isha Sangani is a third-year undergraduate student at Harvard. She studies computer science and integrative biology. Isha is interested in how human activity is affecting nutrient cycling in marine ecosystems, especially in coastal areas like Puget Sound, where she grew up. Isha is also passionate about applying her technology skills to marine research and conservation.
Bethany Quist is a second year undergraduate student at BU and a first year intern in the Fulweiler lab. She is currently studying environmental analysis and policy although is considering majoring in marine science. Her main interests include nutrient cycling, aquaculture, and the effects of climate change and sea level rise on coastal ecosystems. She’s also interested in the ways science and policy interact and how we can more effectively communicate science to the wider public. During high school, she attended Acadia Institute of Oceanography for many summers studying marine science on the Maine coast. Outside the lab, Bethany enjoys playing guitar and biking.
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Emily Wilson graduated from Lafayette College in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies. At Lafayette, she researched habitat quality and functional success of natural, restored, and created vernal pools. Now moving on to saltier wetlands, she is interested in studying coastal resiliency and specifically researching how different coastal restoration methods impact the biogeochemistry of salt marshes.
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Rene Yanez is a Third Year Undergraduate student currently pursuing B.A. in Marine Science and minoring in History. Growing up in Mission, Texas, Rene fell in love with the ocean when his father took him to frequent fishing trips to the Gulf of Mexico, which has now unfortunately been damaged by human activity and climate change. Now, he hopes to help and understand marine life and the biogeochemical processes that occur worldwide to better fight climate change and human activity at home and worldwide.
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