The Authors

Lisa Herbert, Founder

I’m a third year PhD student studying marine geochemistry. I got my B.A. in Environmental Earth Science in 2015 from Washington University in St. Louis. I started in the Masters program at SoMAS in August 2015, and then transferred into the PhD program the following semester. My current project focuses on understanding how trace metals like iron, manganese, zinc, and copper move between sediments and the water column in the Arctic Ocean. That means my field work gets very cold and very muddy! I am passionate about science communication because I want to share my experience of the amazing Arctic— not just its stunning beauty, but its deep importance to all of ourlives, no matter how far away we live!

 

Tara Dolan, Admin

I  am a PhD student in the McElroy lab, co-advised by Dr. Mike Frisk, studying environmental biology and population dynamics of winter flounder in Long Island bays. I hope to better understand whether winter flounder that show different migration strategies, or inhabit different areas, are part of one interbreeding group or multiple groups. I am also interested in how environmental factors might effect how winter flounder survive and grow during their first summer of life. I completed my M.S. at the University of Miami, where I studied how we monitor environmental impacts of nuclear power development. This was my first, but definitely not last, experience of how emerging issues in science can have profound effects on how we make decisions as a society. As a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, I worked for the NMFS Office of Science and Technology helping to develop policy for the next generation of fish stock assessments and ecosystem-based fisheries management. I am passionate about science communication because I believe that science is for everyone, and that science can help us make better decisions. I enjoy running, playing with my dog, kayaking, and underwater photography.

Karin Schweitzer, Admin

It’s never too late to follow your passion! Convinced in college to switch from biology to business, I graduated with a B.S. in Business and a B.A. in Chinese, and, after a few working years, an MBA in International Business. I spent a decade or so in intelligence and research, but in the end, it was so unfulfilling. I made a leap of faith and plunged back into school with Stony Brook’s Post-Bachelor Pre-Health program; I was back on the right path. After a couple years, I honed my interest to marine microbes and now I am finally following my first love – learning about the mysteries of the ocean…and I hope to shed light on some of them…I am so excited about this blog because I believe science is truly a collaborative process and communication is the key.

 

Cecilia O’Leary, Contributor

I’m a quantitative ecologist and PhD student at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University, NY. My love for marine biology began with my first discovery of Antarctica through the eyes of David Attenborough. I received my B.S. from the University of Richmond, VA and received my Master’s from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. I have traveled far and wide since then to study different species in different ecosystems, including the Florida Keys dolphins, the Mojave Desert tortoises, Missouri River bald eagles, the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, and Antarctic seabirds and marine mammals. I love teaching kids about all things science and write a science blog in my free time titled ‘The Gonzo Scientist’ (https://www.facebook.com/TheGonzoScientist/ ).

 

Emily Markowitz, Contributor

I’m a master’s student at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. I’m part of Dr. Janet Nye’s quantitative fisheries ecology lab. Dr. Nye’s lab tackles big picture questions of socio-political relevance. As environments change, we must be able to predict how fisheries stocks will respond and how stakeholder lives will be affected. My thesis work evaluates distributional change in two migratory demersal fish (summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) and Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata)) at different life stages in response to climate change along the northeast US coastline. The study relies on problem visualization, modeling and database skills (in R, Matlab, and ArcGIS), and effective data presentation for stakeholders’ assessment. Learn more about me at https://you.stonybrook.edu/jnye/people/emily-markowitz/.

 

John Bohórquez, Contributor

I’m a Ph.D. student at Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Athmospheric Sciences, where I work with Dr. Ellen K. Pikitch and Dr. Anthony Dvarskas.  My thesis work focuses on economics and sustainable finance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).  My broader research interests also include environmental economics and biological oceanography.  In addition to working on my thesis research, other projects I’m involved in include an assessment of MPAs in China with Dr. Pikitch at the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science.  I am also working with Dr. Dvarskas on evaluating the economic impacts and benefits of shellfish aquaculture to the Long Island Sound region.

I came to Stony Brook with a professional background in finance and business.  Most recently I was an acquisitions analyst at a New York based private equity fund investing in commercial real estate and energy retrofits. I’ve also worked with a consulting company that specialized in government real estate and renewable energy projects.  My background in renewable energy and sustainability also extends to Latin America, where I’ve gained experience in Chile and Colombia.  One of my goals at Stony Brook is to find new creative ways to combine my past experiences with finance, sustainability, and developing countries with all that I’ve learned in ocean sciences, and then apply that interdisciplinary thinking towards addressing challenges facing marine ecosystems today.

I graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a B.A. in Economics and Environmental Studies, as well as a minor in Earth and Oceanographic Sciences.

 

Lisa Prowant, Contributor

My name is Lisa Prowant and I am a conservation biologist and herpetologist (a scientist that studies reptiles and amphibians). I am a 5th year PhD student in the Ecology and Evolution department at Stony Brook University and my dissertation research focuses on determining the best way to stop the Eastern box turtle from declining further by exploring several conservation actions, like physically moving them from threatened areas to less threatened areas. I do this by directly counting box turtles across Long Island and using these counts to predict how box turtle populations could change in the future depending on which conservation actions go into effect. Through this research I may find a way to help Eastern box turtles on Long Island that, in turn, could be applied to many other species to lessen the threat of climate change on global wildlife.

For more information about me and my research, please visit my website: https://lisaprowant.weebly.com/.

 

Matt Fuirst, Contributor

I am currently at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada pursuing a Ph.D. in Ecology, focusing on the effects of climate change on juvenile dispersal and reproductive success in boreal bird populations . I got my M.S. at SoMAS in 2018 working in the Thorne Lab. My project examined the foraging movements and site fidelity of herring gulls in urban and non-urban environments, and the related impacts on the birds’ gut microbiome. I obtained my B.S in Wildlife Science and a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from Paul Smith’s College in 2015. I am an avid hiker, runner, and birder, and during the winter you can find me on the slopes skiing.