Current Fellows & Interns

Knauss Fellows

2026

Zane Ruzicka

Zane Ruzicka graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in International and Public Affairs and earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Ruzicka will work in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where he will write briefing papers, attend high-level meetings, and manage projects with real policy impact.

Sea Grant-Chesapeake Bay Commission Fellow

2026

Megan Beever

The VASG-AMS Policy Fellowship is designed to provide a unique public policy learning experience to a recent VA graduate to demonstrate the value of science-government interaction, and to bring their technical background and external perspectives to the decision-making process in government.

VASG-AMS Policy Fellow

2026

Mahshid Ahmadian

Mahshid Ahmadian graduated with a Ph.D. in Systems Modeling and Analysis from Virginia Commonwealth University. Ahmadian will spend the year working with the American Meteorological Society Policy Program, gaining firsthand experience at the intersection of science, policy, and decision-making.

Graduate Fellows

2026

Isabelle Danforth

Isabelle Danforth is a Ph.D. student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS studying the impact of viruses on harmful algal bloom (HAB) dynamics in the Chesapeake Bay. Danforth will use the data collected on how viruses impact HABs and collaborate with her professional mentor, Todd Egerton at the Virginia Department of Health, to improve the accuracy of model-based HAB predictions. She will connect her research to local classrooms through a hands-on lab activity, a lesson plan of which will be developed through the VA SEA program.

Julia Davis

Julia Davis is a Ph.D. student in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia, studying how marsh migration impacts wetland extent and composition. She will collaborate with stakeholders such as Wetlands Watch, Coastal Zone Management Program, William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS, and local and regional planners to ensure the research is addressing practitioner needs. Davis’ professional mentors, Mary-Carson Stiff from Wetlands Watch and Molly Mitchell from the Batten School & VIMS, will help facilitate this engagement.

Emily Echevarria

Emily Echevarria is a Ph.D. student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS, studying how sandbar sharks use the Chesapeake Bay and coastal lagoons of Virginia’s Eastern Shore as nursery habitats. Echevarria’s research will help better understand how environmental changes impact sandbar sharks, which can serve as an indicator of broader ecological stress in Virginia’s estuarine environments. She will develop various science communication products based on her research with the help of her professional mentor, Kristen Smith, with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

Paola Granados

Paola Granados is an Environmental Sciences Ph.D. student at the University of Virginia studying carbon fluxes from salt marsh tidal creeks. With guidance from her professional mentor, Sofia Barboza with the Hispanic Access Foundation, Granados will make bilingual (English and Spanish) outreach materials based on her work with salt marshes. The created materials will communicate the importance of these habitats and the ecosystem services they provide to the Eastern Shore region and its communities.

Madison Griffin

Madison Griffin is a Ph.D. student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS, studying the ecosystem health and climate resilience of oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay using spatiotemporal models. Throughout model development, Griffin will work with her professional mentor, James Wesson, with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, and share findings at Shellfish Management Advisory Committee meetings. Griffin will also participate in mentorship experiences to encourage local youth to explore pathways into marine science and data science.

Nivedita Kamaraj

Nivedita Kamaraj is a Geosciences Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech, assessing submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) biodiversity at different salinity zones of the Chesapeake Bay using remote sensing. Kamaraj will engage with participatory events such as the Chesapeake Water Watch or Chesapeake Bay SAV watchers program to meet with citizen science volunteers and collect field data on SAV occurrence. As her research progresses, she will receive guidance on remote sensing methodologies from her professional mentor Ashutosh Tiwari, with the Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center.

Eric Liu

Eric Liu is a Ph.D. student at Old Dominion University researching seed collection and propagation methods for salt marsh cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Liu’s research will analyze various ecological factors that could affect the life cycle or physical characteristics of this cordgrass. He will work with his professional mentor, Luísa Black Ellis, with the Elizabeth River Project, to use these findings and improve restoration practices in salt marsh systems. Liu will also create a public-facing guidebook on salt marsh cordgrass to educate growers and prospective growers on best practices for collecting and growing native seed.

Novia Mann

Novia Mann is a Ph.D. student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS, studying how tidal marsh systems respond to changes in alkalinity production, and how well these systems can resist rapid changes in pH. Mann will take the data collected and work to incorporate carbonate system measurements into a long-term water quality monitoring program run by the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA). She will receive guidance from her professional mentor, Scott Lerberg at CBNERR-VA, to develop these parameters that will ultimately help manage coastal acidification in tidal marsh systems.

Linda Miranda

Linda Miranda is an M.S. student at Hampton University, evaluating the ecological performance and structural resilience of using basalt oyster shell bags for sustainable shoreline restoration. She will assess the ecological function and structural integrity of basalt oyster bags as a sustainable alternative to plastic mesh bags. Miranda plans to co-develop a living shoreline course at Hampton University with guidance from her professional mentor, Kati Grigsby, with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Riley Moreau

Riley Moreau is an Environmental Science and Policy Ph.D. student at George Mason University studying how non-native predatory fish impact tidal freshwater nurseries. The freshwater tributaries of the Potomac River serve as nursery habitat for various species that draw in local anglers, so Moreau’s research will help better understand how invasive fish species are impacting valuable native species. Moreau also plans to host outreach events for local fishing groups and interested citizens, as well as deliver presentations to state agencies with help from his professional mentor, John Odenkirk, with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

Emily Ogawa

Emily Ogawa is an Ecological Sciences Ph.D. student at Old Dominion University studying how and where microplastics accumulate in the Chesapeake Bay. Her research will determine how much microplastic is ingested by organisms and how that ingested microplastic is transferred from one organism to another within an ecosystem. Ogawa plans to engage the public through citizen science initiatives and campaigns with the help of her professional mentor, Christina Trapani, with Clean Virginia Waterways.

Jackie Okao

Jackie Okao is a Public Policy and Administration Ph.D. student at Virginia Commonwealth University, working to develop policy frameworks to prevent rip current drownings. Okao will be analyzing existing policies in Virginia Beach and identifying opportunities for strengthening prevention efforts, all while navigating the inner workings of the local government with guidance from her professional mentor, Shaun Anderson from Norfolk State University. Okao will also create educational materials about rip currents to distribute digitally and physically at beachside kiosks, hotels, and restaurants.

Ria Salway

Ria Salway is an M.S. student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS, studying how ocean acidification and increased temperature impact triploid and diploid oysters. Salway will assess the physiological responses of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) seed to determine how growth and survival are impacted by temperature and acidification. She will create communication materials for oyster farmers and hatcheries based on these findings, receiving guidance from her professional mentor, Lauren Huey at Green Fin Studio.

Lihong Yang

Lihong Yang is a Biological System Engineering Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech who is working to create an AI-enabled fish farming system that monitors water quality, fish behavior, and welfare for producers and farm managers. The system will monitor the fish and gather the data into an open-source platform for storage and visualization, providing real-time data for decision-making. Once this monitoring system is complete, she will work with her professional mentor, Jesse Trushenski at Riverence, to communicate the relevance of the system to aquaculture producers and extension specialists, and lead demonstrations on how to use it to improve aquaculture operations.

Zanka Zandsalimi

Zanko Zandsalimi is a Civil and Environmental Engineering Ph.D. student at the University of Virginia, working to quantify the economic value of flood monitoring and early warning systems. He will do this by developing an economic Value-of-Information (VoI) framework that looks at how information alters decision-making before and during flood response. Zandsalimi will translate his findings into a set of decision-support resources with guidance from his professional mentor, Sarah Chappel, with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

VASG Interns

2026

Kelly Benyo

Miekiah Buster

Miekiah Buster is an undergraduate student at Norfolk State University studying Biology. As an Aquaculture Ambassador Intern, Buster will be working at Virginia Tech’s Seafood Agricultural Research Extension Center, gaining hands-on experience with various aquaculture systems and fish husbandry. Buster will be equipped with technical, professional, and applied research skills to excel in the aquaculture field.

Danayja Cranford

Danayja Cranford is a rising junior at Norfolk State University studying Biology. Cranford will spend the summer at George Mason University’s Potomac Science Center examining predator-prey relationships in tidal freshwater nursery habitats and how invasive species impact these relationships.

Jesse Gutierrez

Jesse Gutierrez is an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech studying Water: Resources, Policy, and Management. Gutierrez will be serving as a Contaminants of Emerging Concern Intern at Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center. In this role, Gutierrez will assist with water quality and quantity monitoring, collecting water and sediment samples, and analyzing samples for common water quality parameters in both field and laboratory settings.

Lily Hoffman

Bean Jackson

Bean Jackson is a student at Brightpoint Community College studying Biology, with prior experince serving in the United States Army. Jackson will be working at Virginia State University’s Randolph Farms as an Aquaculture Technology Intern. In this role, Jackson will be working with a variety of aquaculture systems, such as aquaponics, hydroponics, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), and pond culture. There will also be an opportunity to participate in extension activities like youth fishing, farm tours, and farm events.

Loreley Kincel

Kayleigh Miller

Kayleigh Miller recently graduated from Coastal Carolina University with a B.S. in Marine Science. Miller will be working as an Outreach & Engagement Intern at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. In this role, Miller will assist with education programming, develop communications materials, and support public outreach initiatives.

Leila Ricks

Leila Ricks is an undergraduate student at Hampton University studying Marine and Environmental Science. Ricks will be working as an Aquaculture Ambassador Intern at Virginia Tech’s Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center. She will learn about Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), hydroponics, aquaponics, live feed production, fish breeding, and other skills that will allow Ricks to excel in the aquaculture field.

Juliana Rosso

Juliana Rosso is a rising senior at William & Mary studying Biology. As the Blue Crab Disease Ecology Intern, Rosso will be working with researchers at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS, assisting with ongoing laboratory and field studies focused on understanding the transmission dynamics of Hematodinium perezi, an important pathogen of blue crabs. Rosso will help design appropriate experiments for disease studies, understand how environmental factors and species interactions facilitate transmission, and analyze data from these experiments.

Madelyn Shelton

Ysabel Wells

Ysabel Wells is an undergraduate student at Longwood University studying Chemistry. As a Contaminants of Emerging Concern Intern, Wells will work at Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center to assist with water quality monitoring, collecting water and sediment samples, and analyzing samples for common water quality parameters. Wells will also help install a floating wetland and create public outreach materials on PFAS in stormwater systems.

Past Fellows & Interns

Knauss Fellows

2025

Mary Beth Armstrong

Mary Beth Armstrong graduated from George Mason University in 2022 with a bachelor of arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and a Minor in Oceanice and Estuarine Science. She earned a master of arts in Marine Science from William & Mary in 2024. Armstrong will be working in the NOAA Office of Research, Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program as the Arctic Observations and Communications Fellow.

Jem Baldisimo

Jem Baldisimo graduated from Ateneo De Manila University in 2003 with a bachelor of science in Environmental Science and from the University of Melbourne with a master of science in Environment in 2011. She graduated from Old Dominion University with a PhD in Ecological Sciences in 2024. Baldisimo will join the Office for Coastal Management under the National Ocean Service.

Carly LaRoche

Carly LaRoche graduated from American University with a bachelor of science in Environmental Science in 2018 and a PhD in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia in 2024. She will work as an International Policy Fellow with NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program.

Hannah Mast

Hannah Mast graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor of science in Biochemistry. She is pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia. Mast will join the office of Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Abigail Sisti

Abigail Sisti graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor and master of science in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies. She earned a PhD in Marine Science from William & Mary. Sisti will join the Office of the Assistant Administrator for the National Ocean Service.

Graduate Fellows

2024

Alyssa Bucci

Alyssa Bucci is an Ocean & Earth Sciences master’s student at Old Dominion University. She is interested in anthropogenic impacts on water quality in coastal environments. Her research analyzes the impact of land use on nutrient and bacteria loading to the Chesapeake Bay during tidal flooding. She utilizes citizen science to collect water quality data and promote community involvement. Bucci will be collaborating with local nonprofits and her professional mentor, Dr. KC Filippino from the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

Ella DiPetto

Ella DiPetto is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecological Sciences at Old Dominion University working in the Walters Community Ecology Lab. Her research is focused on living shorelines that balance ecological considerations with protection of coastal property. Ella is interested in both the ecological and social considerations of these projects, particularly along developed coastlines and residential property. During her fellowship, she will work with her professional mentor Dr. Wie Yusuf of Old Dominion University, a policy scholar who focuses whole-of-community approaches to coastal resilience, to advance the transfer of living shoreline design and implementation knowledge across the region.

Luke Groff

Luke Groff is an Environmental Sciences Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia studying ecosystem metabolism and algal carbon storage in seagrass meadows. His goal is to merge his background in education and science access with his work and passion as an ecologist, passing along opportunities to young students. Groff’s project centers around engaging with the community on the Eastern Shore. He plans to teach at the Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC) alongside his professional mentor, ESCC Science Program Chair Dr. Alex Foxworthy, and bring in ESCC students to collaboratively design research projects in the Virginia Coast Reserve.

Savannah Lynn

Savannah Lynn is a Ph.D. student in civil engineering at the University of Virginia. Through her research, she aims to implement an educational program that integrates high-resolution watershed modeling and deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to empower middle school students in coastal Virginia to actively contribute to sustainable flood management solutions. Savannah and her mentor Venecia Ferrell, at Old Dominion University, will work with the students to collect real-time data on precipitation, water levels, and water quality using IoT sensors, which will be used to improve flood forecasting models and enable evaluation of green infrastructure mitigation strategies.

Rachel Kelmartin

Rachel Kelmartin is a master’s student in T. Reid Nelson’s fisheries ecology lab at George Mason University. She is interested in applied science that will aid in keeping fisheries sustainable so that they may be utilized and enjoyed equally by everyone. Partnering with David H. Secor at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory and Brendan Runde at The Nature Conservancy, Kelmartin’s project focuses on creating a fluid catch and release mortality estimate for the Atlantic striped bass population with a focus on how water temperature influences mortality. Her mentor, Brendan Runde, will help her promote fish welfare when using acoustic telemetry.

Matthew LaGanke

Matthew LaGanke is a Ph.D. student at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and a member of the Commercial Shellfish Aquaculture Lab & Team (C-SALT). His research investigates the feasibility of integrating modern management tools into shellfish farming. LaGanke’s work aims to provide farmers with advanced methods for gathering, preserving, and analyzing data on their crop that, in turn, support better decisions related to production. Matt will work with professional mentors Mike Congrove from Oyster Seed Holdings in Virginia, Dr. Gary Fleener from Hog Island Oyster Company in California, and Perry Raso from Matunuck Oyster Farm and Bar in Rhode Island.

2023

Mahshid Ahmadian

Mahshid Ahmadian is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Statistical Sciences and Operations Research at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her goal is to expand scientific knowledge in fish movement analysis and its practical use in fisheries management. In her project, she focuses on developing a fish movement modeling tool for fisheries management, utilizing data from acoustic receivers. During her fellowship, she will collaborate with a Marine Spatial Ecologist, Dr. Daniel Crear, to study the movement patterns of Cobia in Virginia and the North Atlantic.

Megan Beever

Megan Beever is a Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. During her fellowship, Beever will study how barrier islands are shaped by waves and tides. She is developing a method for dune identification and analyzing how barrier island characteristics change over time. Beever will collaborate with her professional mentor, Jarrell Smith, at the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.

Julia Grenn

Julia Grenn is a Ph.D. student at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science interested in working with oyster farmers to identify mechanisms that improve farm efficiency and develop more streamlined husbandry practices. Grenn’s project examines how various husbandry decisions at commercial oyster farms affect water parameters inside off-bottom grow-out bags and baskets and if water parameters could be linked to sudden summer mortality events occurring at oyster farms. Grenn is working with Bruce Vogt from Big Island Aquaculture to better understand an oyster’s entire farm-to-table process and become more involved with larger outreach initiatives like the Virginia Oyster Trail.

Alyson Hall

Alyson Hallis a Ph.D. student at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Her project focuses on how seagrasses and hard clam aquaculture are interacting on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. She aims to holistically understand seagrasses and hard clam aquaculture from ecological and anthropological perspectives to promote healthy seagrass meadows and a sustainable hard clam industry. During her fellowship, she will work with a professional mentor from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to learn how to translate science for policy and share her research with communities on the Eastern Shore.

Daniel Lassiter

Daniel Lassiter is a civil engineering Ph.D. student at the University of Virginia. Through his research, he hopes to help coastal communities address the challenge of increasing flood risk due to climate change and sea level rise. Daniel is combining physically-based computer simulations with machine learning techniques in a framework to generate and compare a collection of possible climate-adaptive coastal flood mitigation plans at a neighborhood-to-city scale. The development of this framework will benefit from the rich coastal resilience and stakeholder engagement experience of his mentor at Wetlands Watch.

Adrian Robins

Adrian Robins is a master’s student in landscape architecture at the University of Virginia. His research will utilize the tools and methods of landscape architecture to address the effects of sea level rise on the agricultural lands and communities of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. This will include assessing and spatially representing the threats of saltwater intrusion, Phragmites encroachment, and irrigation pond-salination from the farm to the regional scale. Adrian will accomplish this in collaboration with the agricultural community on the Eastern Shore, including his professional mentor Dr. Mark Reiter of the Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Zlatka Rebolledo Sanchez

Zlatka Rebolledo Sanchezis an international Ph.D. student affiliated with the Coastal Plant and Ecotone Ecology Lab at Old Dominion University. Her research focuses on studying blue carbon in Virginia’s salt marshes, employing a spatial variability perspective. Zlatka’s ultimate goal is to effectively communicate scientific concepts to a broad range of individuals, and she is particularly dedicated to translating her findings from English into Spanish, thereby expanding the reach and impact of her work. She will work with her professional mentor Alexandra Clayton from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Chesapeake Bay Commission Fellow

2025

Greg O'Connell

Greg O’Connell is from Bethesda, Maryland and attended the University of Maryland, where he got his B.S. in Government and Politics and a M.S. in Applied Political Analytics. O’Connell will support the Chesapeake Bay Commission in surveying the latest scientific findings impacting the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort, conducting state and federal-level policy research, and planning for Commission meetings. Other responsibilities include supporting the Commission’s state directors, including Virginia Director, in developing and analyzing state policy proposals in advance of and during the General Assembly sessions.

Commonwealth Fellows

2025 - Coastal & Marine Policy Fellowship

Joseph Barnes

Joseph Barnes was previously the Marine Debris Project Coordinator at Old Dominion University, where he built a network of stakeholders and managed an online hub to help advance the goals of the Virginia Marine Reduction Plan. Barnes will continue working on this marine reduction plan during his time as a Commonwealth Fellow with his host office, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program.

Natalie Klesch

Natalie Klesch graduated from William & Mary’s Batten School & Virginia Institute of Marine Science with a Master of Arts in Marine Science. She was a graduate assistant with the Center for Coastal Resource Management, where she provided training sessions to various stakeholder groups on how to apply shoreline management tools in their respective fields. Klesch will be working with her host office, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, on a wetlands restoration workforce project.

Kristy Lapenta

Kristy Lapenta graduated from Virginia Tech with a Master of Science in Fish and Wildlife Conservation, where she studied migratory shorebird foraging ecology on the Virginia Barrier Islands to help inform conservation decision-making and associated management practices. Lapenta will be working with her host office, the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, on municipal dredging and coastal resilience.

Donya Mohamed

Donya Mohamed graduated from Virginia Tech‘s Department of Entomology with a Master of Science in Life Sciences. She studied the effects of sodium chloride on mussel nutrient dynamics and energy storage, along with assessing best management practices for mussel conservation. Mohamed will be working on a wetlands restoration workforce project with her host office, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

2024 - Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation

Gabrielle Rosario

Gabrielle Rosario attended the University of Virginia where she received a B.A. in Global Sustainability & Foreign Affairs, and a Master of Public Policy from the Frank Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy. Rosario is supporting the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation to develop the adaptive management plan for the Coastal Resilience Master Plan. The fellow is responsible for tasks such as conducting research, interviewing key stakeholders, presenting findings, and developing adaptive management plan content. Rosario also participates in other activities to support the work of the office, supporting the development of the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan.

NMFS Sea Grant Fellow

2024 - Population Dynamics

Rebecca Mestav

Rebecca Mestav is a PhD student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. Mestav is evaluating the impacts of climate-induced range shifts on the assessment and management of spot and Atlantic croaker. Her faculty advisor is Robert Latour, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and her mentor is Cassidy Peterson, Management Strategy Evaluation Specialist, NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center.

VASG Communications Fellow

2025

Bayleigh Albert

Bayleigh Albert is a master’s student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. She is responsible for a variety of communications-related tasks including photography, videography, social media management, science writing, web design, and graphic design. She also assists the Aquaculture Information Exchange community manager with webinars, activity feed posts, and other duties.

VASG Outreach Fellow

2025

Jade Sevelow-Lee

Jade Sevelow-Lee is a master’s student at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. She is responsible for developing and designing outreach-related materials for Virginia Sea Grant. Her research interests include shellfish aquaculture and the habitat ecosystem services it provides, and shellfish aquaculture outreach and education.

VASG Internships

2025

Emma Boyden - Old Dominion University - Salt Marsh Intern

Emma Boyden is an Environmental Science and Policy major at George Mason University. Her internship offers a unique opportunity to work closely with VASG Graduate Fellow Zlatka Rebolledo Sanchez, tracking carbon through salt marshes. Boyden will gain hands-on experience by completing sediment, stem, and root analysis, as well as carbon fluxes across different salt marshes in coastal southeastern Virginia. (Photo by Sydney Brown/George Mason University)

Emily Burgess - VIMS Marine Advisory Program - Education Intern

Emily Burgess is a Biology major at Virginia Wesleyan University. As the education intern, she will work closely with the VIMS-MAP education team to prepare, implement, and evaluate three key summer education initiatives designed to promote hands-on, experiential learning in marine science. There will also be an opportunity to assist in the coordination of the Virginia Coastal Ecosystem Field Course for Teachers, which immerses educators in field and laboratory experiences at the Wachapreague, Virginia field lab, including habitat exploration, water sampling, organism observation, and classroom activity integration.

Layla Jones - University of Virginia/Eastern Shore Community College - Seagrass Intern

Layla Jones is a student at Eastern Shore Community College. Her internship involves collaboration with UVA graduate student coastal scientist Luke Groff investigating carbon storage, seagrass restoration, and ecosystem valuation of seagrass meadows of South Bay, VA. Jones will assist in designing and carrying out a field-based research project over a ten week period.

Rachel Nimitz - Virginia Tech - Aquaculture Intern

Rachel Nimitz has a master’s in Food Science and Technology from Virginia Tech. Nimitz is working as a research assistant with Dr. Yiming Feng at the VT Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Hampton, VA.

Abigail Sindelar - Old Dominion University - Measure the Muck Intern

Abigail Sindelar is working towards a degree in Environmental Science at Old Dominion University. She is assisting with the Measure the Muck community science program at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, VA. Researchers in the Ocean and Earth Sciences department at ODU have been conducting Measure the Muck events since 2017 to study the impact of tidal flooding on water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Sindelar is testing community-collected water samples for nutrients and fecal indicator bacteria.

Contaminants of Emerging Concern Graduate Researchers

2025

Ava DiVita - Virginia Tech

Ava DiVita is a third-year PhD student in Virginia Tech’s Biological Systems Engineering Department. Her research focuses primarily on the fate and transport of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other contaminants of emerging concern in stormwater systems. Most of her stormwater work is focused within Virginia’s Tidewater region.

Brandi Williams - George Mason University

Brandi Williams (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate at George Mason University specializing in environmental and analytical chemistry. Her research focuses on quantifying molecular markers for wastewater-based epidemiology methods and expanding environmental epidemiology systems for public health needs. She is a passionate advocate for environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within STEM education. Brandi aims to encourage technical researchers to intersect their work with community engagement and multidisciplinary studies. Brandi is excited to employ her technical background for sustainability and conservation efforts.