RESEARCH TEAM

I am grateful to have a talented and dedicated research team (including many wonderful students and our favorite canine/feline science pawtners)!

MASON TSAGLOS

SHU 2026 | Major - Biology | Minors - Chemistry, Psychology

Team Seagrass!

Mason is studying seed germination and seedling performance of different eelgrass populations in New England. He has conducted two seed germination experiments and is going to write his senior paper on his research findings. He shared his results at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in 2024 and 2025. Mason won an award for Best Poster Presentation at ECSC 2024! He also presented at Sacred Heart University’s Academic Festival in 2024 and 2025, and received funding from SHU’s Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2024 and 2025.

OLIVIA GRIFFIN

SHU 2027 | Major - Biology (Honors)

Team Oyster!

Olivia is studying oyster parasites/diseases across aquaculture sites and methods. She shared the results of her Spring 2024 research at the Benthic Ecology Meeting in April 2024 - her first scientific conference and poster presentation! Olivia also presented at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in 2025 and at Sacred Heart University’s Academic Festival in 2024 and 2025. She received funding from SHU’s Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2024 and 2025.

AMANDA SMENTKOWSKI

SHU 2026 | Major - Biology (Honors) | Minors - Chemistry, Psychology

Team Oyster!

Amanda is studying oyster parasites/diseases across aquaculture sites and methods. She has quickly become a shucking expert (hence her nickname Speed Shucker!) and is leading analysis of boring sponge and mud blister worm prevalence, as well as SSO disease using DNA extraction, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. Amanda presented her research at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in March 2025 and received funding from SHU’s Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2025.

SEDrA ALASEDI

SHU 2027 | Major - Biology (Honors) | Minor - Chemistry

Team Spartina! & Team Daphnia!

Sedra joined the lab in Summer 2025 and has hit the ground running helping with a Spartina project. She is going to be leading a lab experiment looking at the effects of biocides on Daphnia (building on lab alumnus Logan’s study from Spring 2025).

KayLA TRACY

SHU 2026 | Major - Biology

Team Daphnia!

Kayla is joining the lab in Summer 2025, and is going to be focusing on all things genetics, particularly related to a Daphnia experiment and a seagrass survey.

EMMA MURPHY

SHU 2027 | Major - Biology (Honors) | Minors - Chemistry, Psychology

Team Spartina!

Emma joined the lab in Spring 2025! She hit the ground running, leading a Spartina seed germination experiment and presenting her research at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in March 2025. Emma also presented at Sacred Heart University’s Academic Festival in 2025, and received funding from SHU’s Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2025.

AVA NEVILLE

SHU 2026 | Major - Biology

Team TBD!

Ava is joining the lab in Fall 2025 - stay tuned for her research project!

LAB ALUMNI

KYRA LERNER

SHU 2025 | Major - Biology

Team Seagrass!

Kyra has been instrumental in developing a survey of seagrass restoration practitioners for our NERRS Science Collaborative project. In addition, Kyra is developing a senior research project focused on eelgrass seed germination and seedling performance under different environmental conditions.

LOGAN GRANGER

SHU 2025 | Major - Biology | Minor - Chemistry

Team Daphnia!

Logan was a jack of all trades in Fall 2024, helping with oyster DNA extractions and macroparasite analysis, plus lending a hand with Spartina seed processing. In Spring 2025, he made the jump from saltwater to freshwater and led a new experiment examining the effects of different biocides on Daphnia, which he used for his senior paper/project. Logan presented his research at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference in March 2025, and won an award for Best Poster Presentation. He also presented at Sacred Heart University’s Academic Festival in 2025, and received funding from SHU’s Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2025.

MIA MELCHIOR

SHU 2026 | Major - Marketing

Team Spartina!

Mia assisted with multiple seed/seedling projects in Spring 2024, including measurements of Zostera seeds and Spartina seedlings from different populations. She is the reason we have 50+ Spartina genotypes happily growing in the greenhouse currently!