Maritime Matters: Dr. Nancy Foster Scholars Presentation

NOAA Scholarship Recipients Share Their Research

Learn all about the research being conducted by Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship recipients at different National Marine Sanctuaries around the country including Mallows Bay-Potomac River!

The the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary and the Charles County Public Library are proud to host five scholars from the NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, which provides support for master’s and doctoral degree students in oceanography, marine biology, and maritime archeology as they present their research to the public. Learn about the degradation of wooden shipwrecks and their effects on marine ecosystems, seagrass wasting disease, the human impact on the processes that shape coastlines, the impacts of offshore wind energy development on seabirds, and the effects of microplastics on coral reef health, survival, and reproduction.

Dr. Nancy Foster Scholars are given support by NOAA throughout their scholarship experience, as well as help to create a pathway to a future career. NOAA staff mentor and foster collaborative experiences for each scholar. Through hands-on research, policy and education, the National Marine Sanctuary System provides a classroom away from universities and colleges to allow for students to experience real world science in some of the United States most special underwater treasures and to become ambassadors for NOAA and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Each scholar will give a short presentation followed by a Q&A. 

Allyson Ropp is a Ph.D. student at East Carolina University. Her doctoral research aims to characterize and evaluate wooden shipwreck degradation. As there are thousands of shipwrecks in different ecosystems around the world, this project will utilize a case study site in the Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. This research will evaluate the stability of the shipwreck site by characterizing the construction of the vessel, the current archaeological state, the degradation of the timbers, the microbial community, and the local water quality.

Serina Moheed is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Davis. Her doctoral research is studying host-pathogen relationships in marine coastal ecosystems. Serina has partnered with the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to investigate seagrass wasting disease in Tomales Bay. This will provide valuable information for management of seagrasses by identifying disease hotspots within the estuary, and which populations of seagrass would be best to choose as donors for restoration efforts.

Yasamin Sharifi is a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research investigates processes that shape coastlines with particular attention to the way coastal systems may respond to the impacts of human made environmental change. Yasamin has partnered with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to address gaps in previous global estimates of the blue carbon sequestration capacity of seagrass ecosystems.

Aspen Ellis is a Ph.D. student focusing on seabird conservation at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She will be assessing the impacts of offshore wind energy development on seabirds in the West Coast Region national marine sanctuaries and evaluating the efficacy of feasible mitigation measures. Utilization of renewable energy resources is essential to reduce the severity of climate change, but construction of infrastructure in marine environments may pose new risks for marine wildlife. Through her research, Aspen hopes to facilitate renewable energy development while ensuring that seabird populations aren't jeopardized.

Keiko Wilkins is a Ph.D. student at the University of Hawai'i at M?noa. Her research will explore the physical and chemical effects of microplastics on coral reef health, survival, and reproduction. Keiko will help to establish a baseline of current conditions of microplastic ingestion by corals within the three NOAA national marine sanctuaries within the Pacific Island Region. Her work will also help to better understand how coral species-specific characteristics affect ingestion and retention of plastics as well as determine potential threats through microplastic-associated chemical contaminants.

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