How/Why Research? My research interests lie in marine ecology and conservation. I am fascinated by the marine environment and desire to understand the factors that drive various ecological patterns. I spent my first semester emailing a number of professors in the Marine Science department and meeting with them to discuss their research. I was fortunate enough to land a position in the Marchetti Lab in my second semester. I also approached my organic chemistry professor in my sophomore year and spent a semester in the Hill Lab learning about organic chemistry synthesis techniques.
Research Experience: I worked in the Marchetti Lab from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021, and received a SURF award for my project. My focus was performing data analysis and DNA sequencing to determine potential correlations between environmental conditions and phytoplankton composition in the Galapagos Islands. This helps us predict how climate change could affect marine ecology and aid conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands. In Fall 2020, I joined the Hill Lab to explore my interest in organic chemistry. There, I worked on a project trying to synthesis bisketenes which may allow for the development of a novel dimerization technique. I will be attending the Morehead City Field Site program in Fall 2021, where I hope to develop a project studying how the presence of shipwrecks affect the marine microbial population.
Student Organizations/Clubs: UNC Scuba Club, UNC Aikido.
Random Fun Fact: I love scuba diving.