Expertise

My research integrates seaweed genomics, microbiome analysis, and gene expression profiling to support sustainable aquaculture development and coastal ecosystem health. I investigate seaweeds as natural bioindicators that signal changes in water quality and ecosystem health to support bioremediation and environmental monitoring. My research blends fieldwork, laboratory cultivation, molecular biology, and applied aquaculture to address challenges in marine resource management and restoration. My lab’s focus is on native Florida seaweed species to advance regional aquaculture for both economic benefit and environmental resilience. The main goal is to characterize seaweed biodiversity in the Gulf Coast and to optimize seaweed cultivation practices and improve seaweed aquaculture by exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying seaweed growth, reproduction, and stress tolerance.

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Education

Molecular Genetics & Marine Biology
08/201908/2025, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Marine Biodiversity & Conservation
09/201607/2018, Master of Science (MSc, MSc, MSci, MSi, ScM, MS, MSHS, MS, Mag, Mg, Mgr, SM, or SM), Sorbonne & Ghent University
Biology & Environmental Natural Resource Management
09/201107/2014, Bachelor of Science (BS), University of the West Indies (Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Augustine)