Ocean Ecogeochemistry

Dr. Kelton W. McMahon

Associate Professor in Biological Oceanography

I develop and apply cutting edge molecular geochemistry tools (e.g., stable isotope analysis of individual amino acids) to explore the sources and cycling of organic matter in marine systems. My research focuses on how food web architecture influences marine ecosystem function and resilience, and how climate change and human-environment interactions alter those relationships.

Dr. Keri Smith

NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in Polar Oceanography at URI-GSO

For her postdoc, Kerri is using specimens of opportunity, such as natural history museum archives, to explore changing baleen whale movement patterns and ecological conditions in response to increased human activity.

Dr. Jonathan Cybulski

Tupper Postdoctoral Fellow - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and URI-GSO

For his Postdoc, Jon examining interactions between human influences and environmental forces for human civilizations in the Tropical Eastern Pacific over the last 4,000 yrs using novel nutrient, climate, human diet, and faunal trophic datasets cutting-edge molecular geochemical techniques.

Audreyana Nash

Ph.D. Student in Chemistry at URI-CELS

For her dissertation, Audreyana is examining how optimization of the various chemical and instrumental procedures necessary for CSIA-AA evaluation will improve the quality and precision of results obtainable with this analytical method.

Joshua (Josh) Pi

Ph.D. Student in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSO

For his dissertation, Josh is examining the reciprocal relationships among fishing practice, culture, governance and coral reef ecosystem health in coupled socio-ecological systems of Micronesia.

Lauren Romeiro

Ph.D. Student in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSO

For her dissertation, Lauren is examining movement, foraging, and reproductive ecology of New England sharks through a multi-disciplinary approach of eDNA, tagging, reproductive hormone assays and stable isotope analyses.

Lindsay Agvent

M.S. Student in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSP

For her dissertation, Lindsay is examining the movement ecology of Jonah Crab among management zones in southern New England to support the development of science-based fisheries management policies.

Nicole Messerlian

I am an undergraduate student at URI majoring in geological oceanography with a minor in marine biology and am on track to graduate December 2022. My research interests span from geology to marine macrofauna. I have been involved in various research studies such as using stable isotope data to determine Jonah crab migration patterns and quantifying ocean plastics in Rhode Island sediments. My goal is to use my education and research experience to improve the overall condition of the sea and life within it.

Marlene Severino

I am a Wildlife and Conservation Biology program at URI (class of 2022). I am interested in marine conservation and studying anthropogenic effects on the marine ecosystems. I joined Dr. McMahon’s lab to gain new skills and experience in laboratory research. I am working on a project to examine movement and foraging ecology of sea turtles using amino acid isotope analysis of their bones from museum archives.

Juniper and Mystic

Catherine (Catrina) Nowakowski (2018-2023) Former Ph.D. Student in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSO. Currently an EPA ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow.

Dr. Matthew Ramirez (2020-2022) Former NSF Postdoctoral Fellow in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSO. Currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Rhiannon Moore holding a fish out of the water

Rhiannon Moore (2022) - Former NSF REU Fellow in the URI-GSO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography Program. Currently a graduate student at North Carolina State University.

Photo of Lydia Cross

Lydia Cross (2021-2022) Former URI Undergraduate Research Assistant. Currently a Science and Engineering Fellow at URI.

Photo of Claudia Weitman

Claudia Weitman (2021-2022) Former URI Undergraduate Research Assistant.

Rizkie Utama (2019-2021) Former M.O student in Oceanography at URI-GSO. Currently a Marine Biologist at the Division of Marine Resources Research, Indonesian Institute of Sciences.

photo of Justine Intemann-Milligan

Justine Intemann-Milligan (2021) Former NSF REU Fellow in the URI-GSO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography Program. Currently an undergraduate at UC Berkeley.

Angela Stahl (2018-2021) Former M.S. student in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSO. Currently a Stable Isotope Research Associate at Louisiana State University.

generic silhoutette

Chloe Gilligan (2019-2021) Former URI Undergraduate Research Assistant. Currently a URI undergraduate.

Photo of Nina Santos

Nina Santos (2018-2020) Former M.S. student in Biological Oceanography at URI-GSO. Currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland – Chesapeake Biological Laboratory.

photo of Chantel Michelson holding an owl

Dr. Chantel Michelson (2015-2020) Former co-advised PhD. Student. Currently a postdoctoral scholar at Acadia University, Canada.

photo of Angel Reyes Delgado

Angel Reyes Delgado (2020) Former NSF REU Fellow in the URI-GSO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography Program. Currently an M.S. student at the University of Maryland – Eastern Shores.

Photo of Sierra Gray

Sierra Gray (2018-2020) Former URI Undergraduate Research Assistant. Currently an M.S. student at the University of Victoria.

photo of Chris Mayer

Chris Mayer (2019-2020) Former URI Undergraduate Research Assistant. Currently an M.S. student at Nova Southeastern University.

photo of Sommer Meyer

Sommer Meyer (2019) Former NSF REU Fellow in the URI-GSO Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography Program. Currently a Field Crew Leader in the Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa.

Chloe Gilligan headshot in front of the shoreline