Past Intern Projects

2022

• Kayla McVey from York College of Pennsylvania - "Evaluation of the Growth and Settlement Rate of Low Salinity Tolerance Eastern Oysters" (Mentored by Dr. Chunlei Fan, Dr. Ming Liu, Tameka Taylor, and Brittany Wolfe-Bryant) (Watch Kayla's Final Presentation Here)

• Mya Sharpe from Morgan State University - "Using PCR Assay to Detect Dermo Disease in Eastern Oysters in Maryland Waterways" (Mentored by Dr. Ming Liu and Brittany Wolfe-Bryant) (Watch Mya's Final Presentation Here)

• Jessica Baniak from University of Maryland-Baltimore County - "The Peaceful Sleep: More Efficient Ways to Sedate Oysters for Sampling" and "Pushing the Limits: Heat Tolerance in Soft Shell Clams" (Mentored by Dr. Ming Liu and Brittany Wolfe-Bryant) (Watch Jessica's Final Presentation on Oysters Here and her Final Presentation on Clams Here)

• Katie Delph from Morgan State University - "Assessing Hunter Opinion and Economic Impacts Associated with Sika Deer Hunting and Management on Maryland's Eastern Shore" (Mentored by Dr. Scott Knoche and Kaitlynn Ritchie) (Watch Katie's Final Presentation Here)

• Aaron Jackson from Frostburg State University - "The Levels of Trash Impacting Outdoor Recreation" (Mentored by Dr. Scott Knoche and Kaitlynn Ritchie) (Watch Aaron's Final Presentation Here)

2021

• Nicholas Wright from Morgan State University - "Accessibility in Charles County" (Mentored by the Chesapeake Conservancy's Conservation Innovation Center) (Watch Nicholas' Final Presentation Here)

• Katie Delph from Morgan State University - "Assessing Hunter Opinion and Economic Impact Associated with Sika Deer Hunting and Management on Maryland's Eastern Shore" (Mentored by Dr. Scott Knoche and Kaitlynn Ritchie) (Watch Katie's Final Presentation Here)

• Elissa Tuten from the College of Southern Maryland - "Comparison of Three Algae Diets for Eastern Oyster Production" (Mentored by Dr. Ming Liu and Brittany Wolfe-Bryant) (Watch Elissa's Final Presentation Here)

• Rianna Soltis from the University of Dayton - "Effect of Storms on Ecosystem Processes: STURM Experiment" (Mentored by Dr. Elka Porter) (Watch Rianna's Final Presentation Here)

• Sean Phillips from Salisbury University - "Mimicking Storms in Experimental Ecosystems: Stepwise Erosion Experiments" (Mentored by Dr. Elka Porter) (Watch Sean's Final Presentation Here)

• Khadija Smith from Morgan State University - "Climate Resiliency in Charles County" (Mentored by the Chesapeake Conservancy's Conservation Innovation Center) (Watch Khadija's Final Presentation Here)

• Amber Staples from the University of Maryland and Amanda Bevans from the University of Maryland - "A Half-Century of Crabs and Counting: New Analyses of the Chesapeake's Longest Scientific Blue Crab Survey" (Mentored by Dr. Tom Ihde) (Watch Amber and Amanda's Final Presentation Here)

• Kyle Edwards from Coastal Carolina University - "A Pilot Study of Softshell Clam Culture in Subtidal Maryland Waters" (Mentored by Dr. Ming Liu and Brittany Wolfe-Bryant) (Watch Kyle's Final Presentation Here)

2020 - All 2020 PEARL Interns Worked Remotely

• Aliya Adams from Morgan State University - "Modeling PFAS Biomagnification in the Chesapeake Bay" (Mentor: Dr. Tom Ihde) (Watch Aliya's Final Presentation Here, see Aliya's Poster for NIH-RISE Here)

• Anjali Gulati from Morgan State University - "Recreational Boating in Maryland: Exploring the Unment Needs of Mid-Atlantic Transient Boaters and Marina Facilities" (Mentors: Kaitlynn Ritchie and Dr. Scott Knoche) (Watch Anjali's Final Presentation Here)

• Anna Richey from Juniata College - "Expenditures by Recreational Anglers on Stocked Trout Fishing Trips" (Mentors: Dr. Scott Knoche and Kaitlynn Ritchie) (Watch Anna's Final Presentation Here)

2019

• Olamiposa Sunmola from Morgan State University - "Economic Effects of the PORTS in Maryland" (Mentors: Dr. Scott Knoche and Kaitlynn Ritchie)

• Victoria Agboola from Morgan State University and Caroline Troy from Brown University - "Seeding of Oyster Larvae on Riprap in St. Leonard Creek" (Mentors: Dr. Tom Ihde, Richard Lacouture, and Amber DeMarr) Watch Caroline present this research for the American Fisheries Society here.

• Kyle Wood from the College of Southern Maryland - "Estimating the Area of Influence of a Baited Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Pot" (Mentor: Dr. Tom Ihde)

• Victoria Agboola from Morgan State University - "Phytoplankton populations in St. Leonard Creek and adjacent waters" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Katherine Neilson from Stockton University - "Zooplankton population dynamics in Saint Leonard Creek and adjacent Patuxent River" (Mentors: Richard Lacouture and Dr. Marie Bundy)

• Caroline Troy from Brown University - "Forage species data collection & public involvement" (Mentor: Dr. Tom Ihde) Watch Caroline present this research for the American Fisheries Society here.

• Sabrina Tolbert from Frostburg State University - "Effects of Oyster Biodeposits Resuspension on Phytoplankton Community Structure" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Erin McPhillips from St. Mary's College of Maryland - "Effects of tidal resuspension with oyster biodeposits and filtration in a simulated Chesapeake Bay ecosystem" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Habibah Oladosu from Morgan State University - "Effects of Biodeposit Resuspension on Zooplankton Abundance" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Maya Purnell from Morgan State University - "Identifying Low Salinity Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) to Develop Superior Oyster Lines" (Mentors: Dr. Ming Liu and Amber DeMarr

2018

• Alexis Wasson from Penn State University - "An Analysis of the Recreational Angler Vector and Associated Pathways to aid in the Prevention of Invasive Species Introductions in Mid-Atlantic Waterways" (Mentor: Dr. Scott Knoche)

• Sarah Davis from Coastal Carolina University - "Impact on Phytoplankton Community from Oyster Biodeposit Resuspension in Shear Turbulence Resuspension Mesocosms" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Sara Blickenstaff from the University of Baltimore - "Understanding the Effects of Oyster Bio-Deposits in the Ecosystem" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Regina Minniss from the University of Baltimore - "Effects of Oyster Biodeposits Resuspension on Ecosystem Processes with a Focus on Zooplankton Abundance and Composition" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Erin McPhillips from the College of Southern Maryland - "Impact of Salinity on Population Dynamics of Atlantic Sea Nettle in the Patuxent River" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Ashley Ziur from St. Mary's College of Maryland - "Investigating Cost-Effective and Efficient Ways to Set Oyster (C. virginica) Larvae" (Mentor: Amber DeMarr)

• Stanley Nwakamma from Morgan State University - "Investigating the Feasibility of Improving the Efficiency of the PEARL Blue Crab Survey" (Mentor: Dr. Tom Ihde)

2017

• Eric Robins from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and Jai Horsey from Morgan State University - "Oyster Deposit and Bottom Sediment Interactions" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Nikelene Mclean from Morgan State University - "The Spatial Distribution Patterns of the Chrysaora quinquecirrha in the Patuxent River Waterscape Using Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar (ARIS)" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Kelly Tobin from Boston University - "STEM Education for Middle School Students" (Mentor: Nicole Williams)

• Victoria Roberts from St. Mary's College of Maryland - "Building a Better Hatchery: Culturing Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in a High-Density Recirculating System" AND "Status of Dermo Disease (Perkinsus marinus) in Patuxent River Oysters" (Mentor: Rebekah Borgert) 

• Amanda Everett from Salisbury University - "The Effect of Sediment Size on the Growth of Mya arenaria" (Mentor: Rebekah Borgert)

• Kieran Broder from St. Mary's College of Maryland - "Plankton Vertical Distribution and Population Dynamics in the Patuxent River and St. Leonard's Creek" (Mentors: Richard Lacouture and Marcia Olson)

• Rebecca Wagner from the University of Miami - "Brook Trout Creel Survey and Factors Influencing Anger Participation" (Mentor: Dr. Scott Knoche)

• Maya Oliver from Morgan State University - "Economic Impacts of Oyster Reef Restoration" (Mentors: Dr. Tom Ihde and Dr. Scott Knoche)

• Aimee Beardmore from the College of Southern Maryland - "Catch Success of Blue Crab Bait- Synthetic Bait vs. Atlantic Menhaden" (Mentor: Amber DeMarr)

• Tristan Colaizzi from Williams College - "Behavior of Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) in Response to Bait Type" (Mentor: Amber DeMarr)

2016

• Heather Franz from the University of Baltimore - "The Effect of Biodeposit Resuspension on Zooplankton: A Study in the Shear Turbulence Resuspension Mesocosm (STURM)"(Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Eric Robins from the University of Maryland Baltimore County - "The Effect of Oyster Biodeposit Resuspension on Water Quality" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Anna Lienesch from Eckerd College - "Comparison of Crab Pots With and Without Turtle Excluders" (Mentor: Adam Copeland)

• Brooke Haas from Old Dominion University - "Molting Stages of the Blue Crab in Relation to Weight" (Mentor: Adam Copeland)

• Mariah Gugel from St. Mary's College - "Increasing the Setting Efficiency of Crassostrea virginica Larvae" (Mentor: Rebekah Borgert)

• Samantha Waby from Roanoke College - "Comparing Performance and Economics of Feeding Methods for Oyster Larvae Using Different Micro-Algal Diets" (Mentor: Rebekah Borgert)

• Courtney Mattson from the University of Maryland Baltimore County - "Summer 2016 Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in Patuxent River and Related Systems" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Niki Mouganis from Christopher Newport University - "Mesozooplankton and Gelatinous Zooplankton in Local Waters" (Mentor: Marcia Olson)

• Han Zhou from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology - "The Analysis of the Maryland Non-Tidal Angler Preference Survey" (Mentor: Dr. Scott Knoche

2015

• Anna Lienesch from Eckerd College - "2015 Summer Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in St. Leonard Creek and Adjacent Patuxent River" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Oluwaseun Akinterinwa from Morgan State University - "The Effect of Ocean Acidification on Fundulus heteroclitus respiration" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Marvin Thomas from Morgan State University - "Investigating Benthic Erosion of Oyster Biodeposits in Marine Ecosystems" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• James Lee from St. Francis University - "Tidal Relations to Blue Crab Population Dynamics" (Mentor: Adam Copeland)

• Kylie Curtis from St. Mary's College - "Nursery and Grow-out Research for True Chesapeake Oyster Company AND Effects of Initial Seapa Pod Stocking Densities on Growth of Crassostrea virginica Juveniles in Ridge, MD" (Mentors: Dr. Chunlei Fan and Richard Lacouture)

• Heather Franz from the University of Baltimore - "The Effect of Oyster Biodeposit Resuspension on Ecosystem Processes" (Mentor: Dr. Elka Porter)

• Jessy Cockrell from Mary Washington University - "Zooplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove, St. Leonard Creek and Patuxent River" (Mentor: Marcia Olson)

2014

• Simone Wright from Hood College - "An Analysis of the Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Population's Size Distribution in the Middle Chesapeake Bay and Patuxent River" (Mentor: J Hixson)

• Dylan Kletter from the University of Maryland - "Top-Down Regulation of Plankton Populations in Mackall Cove, St. Leonard Creek and Patuxent River: Water Quality and Gelatinous Zooplankton and Fish" (Mentors: Richard Lacouture and Marcia Olson)

• Nicole Fennelly from St. Mary's College - "Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove, St. Leonard Creek and Patuxent River" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Rezia Braza from Morgan State University - "The Unseen Animals: Summer 2014 Zooplankton Populations in St. Leonard's Waters" (Mentor: Marica Olson)

• Emma Danz from Ursinus College - "Blue Crab Predation on Juvenile Oysters: the Effect of Substrate on Oyster Survival" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Gloria Akpabla from Morgan State University - "Effects of Acidification on Oyster Feeding" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

2013

• Emily Lovelace from Hood College - "Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove 2005-2013" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Nancy Holt from Brown University - "Evaluation of Waste Concrete Road Materials for Use in Oyster Restoration" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Danielle Franklin from Hollins University - "Blue Crab Population Dynamics in the Chesapeake Bay and Patuxent River from 1968-2011" (Mentor: J Hixson)

• Yehnara Ettinoffe from Morgan State University - "Inducible Defenses Exhibited by Hooked Mussels in Response to Native and Naïve Predators" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

2012

• Victor Thornton from the Virginia Commonwealth University - "Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Coliform Bacteria in Saint Leonard Creek Summer 2012" (Mentors: Bill Yates and Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Shaniqua Gladney from Morgan State University - "Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove, Summer 2012" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Sara Mack from the University of Maryland (College Park) - "Alternative Materials: Assessment of Recycled Concrete Aggregate for Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Gordon Dinnall from Morgan State University - "Development of an Oyster Hatchery Business Plan" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Josh Miller from the University of Maryland (Baltimore) - "Trotline and Aquaculture Lease Bottom Interactions" (Mentors: J Hixson and Bill Yates)

• Matt Miller from Frostburg State University - "Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Bait Preference" (Mentor: J Hixson)

• Shefali Shah- University of Maryland (College Park) - "Using Barley Straw to Inhibit Algal Growth" (Mentor: Stella Sellner)

2011

• Kevin McEligot from Hampden-Sydney College - "Water Quality for the Patuxent River, Mackall Cove and St. Leonard Creek in 2011" (Mentor: Stella Sellner)

• Corinne Ramson from Hood College - "Water Spectral Reflectance and its Relationship to Phytoplankton Biomass and Composition in Mackall Cove" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Shekhar Karki from Morgan State University - "Spatial and Temporal Distribution of CDOM and TSS in St. Leonard Creek, MD" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Blaire Umhau from the University of Miami - "Phytoplankton Survey of St. Leonard Creek" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Kevin McEligot from Hampden-Sydney College - "Microzooplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove, St. Leonard Creek, and the Patuxent River, Summer 2011" (Mentor: Stella Sellner)

• Kaisha Hazel from Morgan State University - "Mesozooplankton and Gelatinous Zooplankton in Mackall Cove, St. Leonard Creek, and the Patuxent River" (Mentor: Marcia Olson)

• Paula Riner from St. Mary's College of Maryland - "The Effect of Cold Storage on the Setting of Crassostrea virginica" (Mentor: Ann Marie Hartsig)

• Tanaira Cullens from Morgan State University - "Evaluation of Waste Concrete Road Material for Use in Oyster Aquaculture" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Jess Howard from the University of Maryland - "Performance of Triploid Oysters in Low Salinity Waters" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Matt Miller from Frostburg State University - "Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Bait Preference" (Mentor: J Hixson)

2010

• Brian Dresser from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - "Comparing Growth Rates of Plankton: LED vs. Fluorescent Lighting" (Mentors: Phillip Morrin and Ann Marie Hartsig)

• Robbie Bourdon from St. Mary's College - "A Survey of Easter Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Quality on Patuxent River Oyster Bars" (Mentor: Phillip Morrin)

• Kara Benton from St. Mary's College - "Effect of PAH Exposure on Crassostrea virginica Fertilization Success" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Kevin McEligot from Hampden-Sydney College - "PAH Effects on Embryonic Transformation to D-Stage Larvae of Crassostrea virginica" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Kemi Adeyinka from Morgan State University - "The Spectral Analysis of Phytoplankton Pigmentation for Remote Sensing Applications" (Mentors: Dr. Chunlei Fan and Rob Warner)

• Thomas Coffren from the University of Miami - "Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove and the Patuxent River, Summer 2010" (Mentor: Ann Marie Hartsig)

• Yasaun Young from Morgan State University - "Distribution and Abundance of Mesozooplankton in Mackall Cove and Adjacent Waters of the Patuxent River" (Mentor: Marcia Olson)

• Diane Parker from Morgan State University - "Methods od Collecting Data with Bluetooth Technology" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

2009

• Alexis Jackson from Morgan State University - "Effects of Erosion Control Structures on Nearshore Communities" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Ivana Terry from the University of Maryland - "Shrink the Facility's Footprint by Using Sustainable Technology" (Mentors: Dr. Kelly Clark and Bill Yates)

• David Farkas from St. Mary's College - "Bottom Cage Oyster Aquaculture" (Mentors: Dr. Mark Bundy and Dr. Kelly Clark)

• Catherine Meh from Morgan State University - "Comparison of Dermo Infection Intensity and Prevalence in Cultchless and Spat-on-Shell Oysters" (Mentors: Dr. Kelly Clarke and George Abbe)

• Jana Langley from McDaniel College - "The Progression of Perkinsus marinus Intensity" (Mentors: J Hixson and George Abbe)

• Anthony Hancock from Frostburg State University - "Fishes of Jefferson Patterson Park and Patuxent River" (Mentor: J Hixson)

• Thomas Coffren from the University of Miami - "Phytoplankton Population Dynamics in Mackall Cove" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Janine Jemmot from Morgan State University - "The Dynamics of Mesozooplankton & Gelatinous Zooplankton in Mackall Cove for Summer 2009" (Mentors: Richard Lacouture and Marcia Olson)

• Elena Egorova from St. Mary's College - "The Effect of Surface Runoff and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Crassostrea virginica Larvae Settlement" (Mentor: Dr. Jon Anderson)

2008

• Jana Langley from McDaniel College - "Prevalence and Intensity of Perkinsus marinus on the Gatton Oyster Bar" (Mentor: George Abbe)

• Alison Weigel from the College of William & Mary - "Effects of Erosion Conrol Structures on Nearshore Communities" (Mentor: Dr. Kelly Clark) AND "Microzooplankton Species Composition in Mackall Cove and Their Relationship to Other Trophic Levels" (Mentor: Stella Sellner)

• Samantha Watters from the University of Maryland - "The Cove Project: Picoplankton Population and Nutrient Analysis" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Tina Rey Santos from the University of Maryland - "Evaluating the Mesozooplankton Population and Grazing Rates in the Mackall Cove" (Mentors: Dr. Jon Anderson and Richard Lacouture)

• Anya Ector-Joseph from Morgan State University - "Dilution and Grazing Experiments in Mackall Cove" (Mentor: Dr. Jon Anderson)

• Elaine Bautista from Morgan State University - "The Effect of Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) on Water Reflectance Spectra in the Mackall Cove" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Charlene Monu from Morgan State University - "Estimating Phytoplankton Biomass and Group Composition by Water Reflectance Spectra in the Mackall Cove" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

2005 - 2007

• Femi Ogunjinmi from Morgan State University - "Daily Microzooplankton Abundance and Species Composition in Mackall Cove and Potential Relationships to Other Trophic Levels" (Mentor: Stella Sellner)

• Holly Gabries from Juniata College - "Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Applications in Delaware and Maryland" (Mentor: Dr. Chunlei Fan)

• Steve Beck from Juniata College - "Temporal Variability of Phytoplankton Species Composition in a Mesohaline System" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)

• Emily Brownlee from Calvert High School - "The Chesapeake Bay Native (Crassostrea virginica) and Non-Native (Crassostrea ariakensis) Oysters and the Effects of an Increasing Water Quality Problem, Algal Blooms" (Mentors: George Abbe and Stella Sellner)

• Viani Kamleau from St. Mary's College - "Phytoplankton Taxonomic Composition and its Relationship with Water Reflectance Spectra in Mackall Cove, Patuxent River" (Mentors: Dr. Chunlei Fan and Ann Marie Hartsig)

• Bethany Remeniuk from York College - "Microcystis aeruginosa and its role in releasing phosphorous from sediments by altering the pH levels in the surrounding waters" (Mentor: Dr. Jon Anderson)

• Samantha Watters from the University of Maryland - "Picoplankton in Mackall Cove - The effect of phosphorous levels on the general population and its relative proportion ot the total phytoplankton biomass" (Mentor: Richard Lacouture)