Current Graduate Students
Major Advisor - Dr. Ronald Baker (rbaker@disl.org)
Name: Aaron Bland
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Ecological assessments of living shoreline restoration projects.
Academic training: BS in Biology from The College of William and Mary
MS in Marine Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Email: abland@disl.org
Name: Hannah Ehrmann
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Academic training: BS Environmental Studies from Gettysburg College
MS Environmental Science from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Email: hehrmann@disl.org
Name: Sarah Ramsden
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Integrating movement & trophic ecology to assess the functional values of red drum habitats through ontogeny.
Academic training: BS in Environmental Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University
MS in Marine Sciences from Savannah State University
Email: sramsden@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. Ruth H. Carmichael (rcarmichael@disl.org)
Name: Ania Brown
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Effects of water quality on dolphin health and the implications for human health in a changing climate.
Academic training: BS in Animal BioScience from Pennsylvania State University
MA in Animal Behavior and Conservation from CUNY Hunter College
Email: abrown@disl.org
Name: Lauren Clance
Program of Study: MS
Thesis or Dissertation title: Differences in Stable Isotopes and Trace Elements among groups of Bottlenose Dolphins in Mobile Bay.
Academic training: BS in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill
Email: lclance@disl.org
Name: Matthew R. Hodanbosi
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Influence of freshwater influx on the diet and body condition of the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, in Mobile Bay, Alabama, United States.
Academic training: BS in Evolution and Ecology from The Ohio State University
MS in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Email: mhodanbosi@disl.org
Name: Joe Hansen
Program of Study: MS
Thesis or Dissertation title: The impacts of environmental variations on the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) microbiome.
Academic training: BS in Marine Biology with a Marine Conservation option and Computer Science minor from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Email: jhansen@disl.org
Name: Joclyn Villegas
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Dolphin positive effect behavior and communication.
Academic training: BS in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University – Galveston
MPS in Marine Mammal Behavior from University of Miami – RSMAS
Major Advisor - Dr. Brian Dzwonkowski (bdzwonkowski@disl.org)
Name: Devanarayana Mohan Rao
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Investigation of the intensification of landfalling storms over coastal shelves and its potential association with marine heatwaves.
Academic Training: BS in Physics from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, India
MS in Earth and Space Science from York University, Toronto, Canada
MS in Oceanography from Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India
Email: drao@disl.org
Name: Harikrishnan Sreeshylam
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Coupled Physical-Biogeochemical processes in the coastal and estuarine environment of Mobile Bay.
Academic Training: BS in Physics from Mahatma Gandhi University, India
MS in Oceanography from Cochin University of Science and Technology, India
Email: hsreeshylam@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. Jeffrey W. Krause (jkrause@disl.org)
Name: Alison Rellinger
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: A comparison of DMSP cycling in Phaeocystis spp.
Academic training: BA Biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland
M.S. Marine Sciences from University of South Alabama
Email: arellinger@asms.net
Name: Ryan Roseburrough
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Silicon and Lithium Isotopes in Reverse Weathering Products.
Academic training: BS in Marine Biology from Spring Hill College
Name: Alexandra Smith
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: On the Origins and Degradation of Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (This title is tentative-my prospectus has not yet been finalized).
Academic training: BE in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University
Email: asmith@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. John Lehrter (jlehrter@disl.org)
Name: Jennifer Doan
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Biology with concentration in Marine Biology from the University of South Alabama with a minor in Geology
Name: Greg Feister
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Forensic Science from the University of South Mississippi with minors in Chemistry and Criminal Justice
Email: gf2022@jagmail.southalabama.edu
Name: Allison Fletcher
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Academic training: BS in Marine Biology from the
University of Southern Mississippi
MS in Marine Conservation and Resource
Management from the University of South Alabama
Email: afletcher@disl.org
Name: Mai Fung
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Effects of multiple drivers on eutrophication expressions and subsequent impacts on mercury cycling.
Academic training: BA Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley
MPH Public Health from UC Berkeley
Email: mfung@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. Sean P. Powers (spowers@disl.org)
Name: Laia Juliana Muñoz Abril
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Laying the foundations for the conservation and management of coastal spawning areas of yellowfin tuna in Galápagos and continental Ecuador.
Academic training: BS in Biology from Universidad Industrial de Santander
MS in Applied Ecology from Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Name: Dakota Bilbrey
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology and minor in Instrumental Music from University of South Alabama
Name: Pearce Cooper
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Assessing patterns of population structure, environmental selection, and estuarine use in sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, using population genomics and otolith chemistry.
Academic training: BS in Fisheries Sciences from Virginia Tech
Email: pcooper@disl.org
Name: Dylan Kiene
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Impacts of Climate Change on Flatfish.
Academic training: BS in Health Science from Spring Hill College
Email: dkiene@disl.org
Name: Edward Kim
Program of Study: MS
Thesis or Dissertation title: Age, growth, abundance, and distribution of Gray Snapper in coastal and offshore Alabama waters.
Academic training: BA in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, 2016
Email: ekim@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. Alison Robertson (arobertson@disl.org)
Name: Clayton Bennett
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Toxicokinetics of Caribbean ciguatoxin in mid-trophic level fish.
Academic training: BS in Marine Biology from Troy University
Email: cbennett@disl.org
Name: Sean Collins
Program of Study: MS
Thesis or Dissertation title: Effects of Phycotoxins on Endocrine Nuclear Receptor Response in Gulf Killifish (Fundulus grandis).
Academic training: BS in Biology from University of South Alabama
Email: scollins@disl.org
Name: Alex Leynse
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Understanding the functional role of the meta-metabolome of benthic dinoflagellates in reef ecosystems
Academic training: BS and MS in Marine and Environmental Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University
Email: aleynse@disl.org
Name: Caleb M. Wilson
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Thesis or Dissertation title: Toxin transport mechanisms and cellular response of marine toxins in fish and mammals
Academic training: H.BS in Science and Engineering (Biology and Biomedical Sciences) from Idaho State University
Email: cwilson@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. Lee Smee (lsmee@disl.org)
Name: Randi Cannon
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Academic training: BS in Biology (with an emphasis in Marine) from Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi
Email: rcannon@disl.org
Major Advisor - Dr. John Valentine (jvalentine@disl.org)
Name: Dorothy Byron David
Program of Study: Ph.D.
Academic training: BS in Biology from University of Central Florida
MS in Biological Sciences from Florida International University
.
Major Advisor - Dr. John Lehrter / Dr. Sean P. Powers (Professional Master's)
Name: Kristine Alford
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Biology with a minor in Geology from University of South Alabama
Name: Jessica Nash
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Marine Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi
Name: Emily Pepple
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Freshwater and Marine Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Gannon University
Name: Katie Wells
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: BS in Biology with a minor in Wildlife and Fisheries Science, and a concentration in Marine Biology from Tennessee Technological University
Email: kcw2123@jagmail.southalabma.edu
Name: Brittany Williams
Program of Study: MS
Academic training: Experience in assisting necropsies with marine mammals, PCRs, aquaculture, fin photography of dolphins, insect capture and identification.
Master Student in Environmental Toxicology
Name: Emilie Berge
Program of Study: MS
Major Advisor: Dr. Sinéad Ní Chadhain
Thesis or Dissertation title: Characterization of Naphthalene Degrading Bacteria.
Academic training: BS in Biology with a minor in Marine Biology at the University of South Alabama.
Name: Christopher Mikolaitis
Program of Study: MS
Major Advisor: Dr. John Lehrter
Thesis or Dissertation title: Cadmium and Salinity Stressor Synergy On Vallisneria neotropicalis.
Academic training: BS in Marine Science with minor in Geospatial Science from Stony Brook University
Email: cmikolaitis@disl.org
Name: Joseph John Pavelites II
Program of Study: MS
Major Advisor: Dr. Ruth Carmichael
Thesis or Dissertation title: Cadmium Fractionation in Eastern Oyster Shells
Academic training: BS in Biology and BS in Chemistry from the University of Alabama