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Graduate Students

Molluscan Ecology Graduate Students

Alexandria "Alex" Marquardt, is currently a VIMS PhD student investigating the growth and mortality in Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) during their first critical months after settlement. Read story on her Pismo clam research in the LA Times.

Alexis Hollander, 2022, imaged and aged surfclam shells as part of her thesis investigating the effects of climate change on surfclam distribution and growth rates. 

M. Chase Long, investigated the development of an age-frequency distribution for ocean quahogs (Arctica Islandica) on Georges Bank.  Chase was also a Knauss Fellow in Washington, DC.

David Rudders, 2010, (co-chair with Bill DuPaul, VIMS Professor Emeritus) incorporated industry based dredge surveys into the assessment of the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus for his VIMS/SMS Ph.D. dissertation.

Stefanie Gera, 2009, compared egg capsule hatching success in Rapana venosa and Urosalpinx cinerea  in relation to temperature and salinity for a VIMS/SMS M.S. thesis.

Adriana Picariello, 2006, examined the effects of coastal water temperatures on the ecology and growth rates of Atlantic surf clam (Spisula solidissima) populations in the Mid-Atlantic Bight for her VIMS/SMS M.S. thesis project.

Elizabeth Darrow, 2004, (co-chair with Dr. Mark Luckenbach). M.S. Ecological energetics of the hard clam.

Daniel Doolittle, 2003, (co-chair with Dr. Mark Patterson). M.S. Development of a method for the identification and quantification of biological targets detected by sidescan sonar

Catherine Ware (Kilduff), 2002, M.S. Temporal and spatial variation in reproductive output of the veined rapa whelk (Rapana venosa) in the Chesapeake Bay.

Arminda Gensler, 2001, (co-chair with Dr. John Graves). M.S. Genetic Investigations of Interspecific and Intraspecific Relationships within the Genus Rapana.

Rebecca Green, 2001, M.S. Morphological variation of three populations of the Veined Rapa Whelk, Rapana venosa, an invasive predatory gastropod species.

Erica Westcott, 2001, M.S. Seasonal reproductive activity of the invading gastropod Rapana venosa in the Chesapeake Bay

Juliana M. Harding, 2000, Ph.D. Ecological interactions between benthic oyster reef fishes and oysters.

Melissa Southworth, 1998, analyzed the recruitment, fecundity, and physical data as part of her VIMS/SMS M.S. thesis project.

Sandra Brooke, 1996, completed a comparison of natural and laboratory diets for the culture of oyster larvae as well as queen and milk conch, two tropical gastropod species for her VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis project.

Ian Bartol, 1995, examined oyster recruitment patterns in relation to spatial and temporal variables as part of his VIMS/SMS M.S. thesis project and then the distribution, swimming physiology, and swimming mechanics of the brief squid for his Ph. D.  Link to subsequent publications

Elizabeth Keane-Shea, 1995, M.A. (co-chair with Dr. Mike Vecchione, Systematics Laboratory, National Museum, Smithsonian.)  The early life histories of three families of cephalopods, and an examination of the concept of a paralarvae.

Shirley Baker, 1994,  examined the effects of low oxygen concentrations on settlement, metamorphosis, and feeding behavior during settlement by oyster larvae as part of her VIMS/SMS doctoral dissertation.

Patrick Baker, 1994, investigated the settlement behavior of bivalve molluscs using oyster larvae as a model system. His VIMS/SMS dissertation studies were designed to specifically examine a) abundance of late-stage larvae in the plankton, b) the relationship between larval abundance and settlement, and c) mortality immediately following settlement.

Robert A. (Ben) Blaylock, 1992, determined the distribution, abundance and behavior of the Cownose Ray,  Rhinoptera bonasus, in Lower Chesapeake Bay for his Ph.D.

Laura Castell Perez, 1991, used the fluorescent dye Nile Red and fluorescence microscopy to quantify lipid content of healthy and stressed individual oyster larvae Crassostrea virginica as part of her VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis project.

Kevin McCarthy, 1989, VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis examined the vertical distribution of oyster larvae in relation to salinity layers since larval Crassostrea virginica may be retained within estuaries by active depth regulation.

Curtis Roegner, 1989, investigated the survival and growth of newly settled oysters in relation to tidal zonation during the first month of post-settlement life as part of his VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis.

Bernadita Campos (Maia), 1988,  examined the swimming behavior of three different species of bivalve veligers including oyster larvae in relation to salinity gradients as part of her VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis work.

Carollyn Cox, 1988, examined seasonal changes in the fecundity of oysters from four oyster reefs in the James River, Virginia as part of her VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis.

David Eggleston, 1988, described the predator-prey dynamics between the blue crab and juvenile oysters as part of his VIMS/SMS M.A. thesis work. See video of recent work in North Carolina.

Ellen Pafford, 1988, M.A.  Distribution and taxonomy of endolithic algae occurring in the shells of Crassostrea virginica in the lower James River, Virginia