Dr. Erin Meyer-Gutbrod (Lab PI)
Erin is an Assistant Professor in the School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment at the University of South Carolina. She earned a BS in Physics at the University of Notre Dame and a PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. She is a quantitative marine ecologist that uses statistical, demographic and spatial models to understand how marine species respond to environmental processes. Many of Erin's research projects focus on human impacts to threatened or economically valuable species. Erin also serves on the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) committee for The Oceanography Society and edits a quarterly JEDI column in Oceanography magazine. Her CV can be found here. Abby Kreuser (PhD student)
Abby earned her B.S. in Biology from Florida State University. As an undergraduate, she gained research experience investigating potential labor and chick growth benefits in cooperatively breeding Brown-headed Nuthatches. After undergrad, Abby moved to Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i and worked with the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project and Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project. Working as a field technician with those organizations, she pursued projects that gave her data management and statistical experience. Through those experiences, she decided she wanted to continue to develop quantitative skills. Abby will be focused on modeling North Atlantic right whale migration in the changing climate, so protective measures can be implemented as the whales’ habitat use changes. |
Amadi Sefah-Twerefour (PhD student)
Amadi is a PhD student in the School of the Earth Ocean and Environment at the University of South Carolina. She earned a BS in Oceanography & Fisheries at the University of Ghana, then went on to earn a MS in Ocean Engineering at the University of Ulsan in South Korea. Amadi is interested in anthropogenic impacts on marine mammals. She is also interested in marine ecosystem conservation & management, marine policy and science education. Lydia Sims (PhD student)
Lydia is a PhD student in the School of the Earth, Ocean, and Environment at the University of South Carolina, where she has also earned her B.S. and M.S. in Marine Science, concentrating in Physical Oceanography. After researching Marine Heatwaves in the North Atlantic and how they are intensified by eddies, Lydia has grown an interest in extreme events and their impacts on the ecosystem under climate change. She is continuing research on eddies and how they impact plankton distribution and availability. Allie Peterson (MEERM student)
Allie earned her undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina in Environmental Studies. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Earth and Environmental Resource Management. Her research is focused on the impact of vessel-related underwater noise on the Southern Resident killer whales. Taylor Grace Lagroon (JD/MEERM student)
Taylor earned her B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology from Clemson University and is now pursuing a dual JD/MEERM degree from USC. During her time at Clemson, Taylor researched the southern range of yellow perch, women's experiences in male-dominated natural resources fields, greenhouse house gas emissions from hydroelectric power reservoirs, and best practices for exterminating invasive Chinese tallow along the South Carolina coast. She also spent a year working as a fisheries technician at SCDNR before starting law school. With her JD and MEERM degrees and passion for science and the law, Taylor hopes to bridge the gap between biologists and legislators in making natural resource regulations around hunting and fishing. Jasmine Witt (Undergraduate Researcher)
Jasmine Witt is a student in the Honors College at UofSC, majoring in Marine Science with an emphasis in biological oceanography. Jasmine is currently assisting with a project to develop a new method of assessing gray whale health in the Pacific Northwest, and she hopes to soon take on her own gray whale project as part of her Honors Thesis. After graduation, she aspires to attend graduate school and eventually work in marine mammal conservation. Laura Doughton (Undergrad Researcher)
Laura is a student in the UofSC Honors College majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science. She is particularly interested in conservation efforts and policy. Laura is currently assisting with a project looking at human interactions and impacts on the right whale population. The project hopes to discern potential connections between media coverage and policy implementation concerning these whales. After graduation, Laura is interested in pursuing environmental lobbying. Maddie Rich (Undergrad Researcher)
Maddie is an undergraduate student with an intended major in marine science and concentration in coastal resource management, as well as a minor in business administration. She is so excited to collaborate with other students on the media and policy project aiming to protect North Atlantic right whales. She is interested in research, environmental policy, and sustainable business, and hopes to find a career in one or several of these fields. Maddie looks forward to continuing her involvement in research during her time in undergrad and hopes to gain further experience through upcoming internships. Hunter Ohmann (Undergrad Researcher)
Hunter is majoring in Biology with a focus in Marine Science. Hunter is currently assisting in a project that is analyzing human effects on the right whale population, collecting and evaluating news articles that will be used to characterize media coverage of right whale injuries, mortalities, and more, which should lead to policy development and implementation. After graduation, Hunter plans on attending graduate school and focusing on animal behavior, conservation, and policy. Already possessing an English degree and being a photographer, she also hopes to pursue science writing and education as well as having her wildlife photography featured with National Geographic. Madison Essex (Undergrad Researcher)
Maddie is an undergraduate student majoring in Marine Science with a concentration in Biological Oceanography. She is interested in studying the effects of climate change on the movement and feeding behavior of large marine organisms. In particular, she is interested in the effects offshore wind has on migration and feeding patterns or predator prey interactions. She is excited to be working on Amadi’s North Atlantic Right Whale Policy Project with other undergrad students, exploring how media coverage has an effect on policy. This project will have a profound effect on how protective policies are pushed and formed. After graduation, Maddie hopes to pursue a PhD in marine ecology and focus heavily on conservation, policy, and scientific writing. Lily Bosch (Undergrad Researcher)
Lily is a junior in the UofSC Honors College studying Environmental Science with a minor in Spanish. Her interests include conservation, environmental education and outreach, biological oceanography, and social justice. She is working on the NARW communication project with Amadi and enjoys learning from everyone in our lab. After graduation, she is interested in finding a graduate program or fellowship relating to conservation and/or science communication and education. Elliot Harkins (Undergrad Researcher)
Elliot is an undergraduate student looking to earn his B.S. in marine science. He is focused on research involving the conservation efforts of the North Atlantic right whale population. Elliot is especially interested in how these conservation efforts interconnect with the commercial fishing industry, particularly lobster in his home state of Maine. Elliot is currently assisting with research involving how the media covers stories and updates of the endangered whales |
Lab Alumni
Kira Telford (MEERM student)
Kira earned her B.S. in Biology at the University of Miami. After graduating, she went on to participate in two internships, both expanding her knowledge of marine mammal research. Pursuing a masters of Earth and Environmental Resources Management seemed like a natural next step in further developing her research skills and to continue working on her research. Her thesis focused on a new methodology that can help assess grey whale health in the Pacific Northwest. Ben Aland (MEERM student)
Ben earned his undergraduate degree at UofSC in marine science before moving to Charleston for work. He spent the past few years in various roles from lab assistant to caretaker at a plantation before returning to UofSC to pursue a masters in Earth and Environmental Resource Management. After graduating, Ben went to work for the City of Charleston Dept. of Stormwater Management. Kaitlyn Dirr (Undergrad Thesis Student)
Kaitlyn Dirr is graduated in 2023 from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Marine Science. In her time as an undergraduate, Kaitlyn has been involved with research related to zooplankton ecology and gopher tortoise burrow use; she also served as the Rookery Bay NERR Avian Intern and NOAA Hollings Scholar in the summer of 2022. For her senior thesis she created an educational series for grades 6-12 on the National Estuarine Research Reserves of the Southeast US called “NERR or Far: The Reserves Are Where You Are” (which you can access here: https://nerrorfar.weebly.com). After graduation, Kaitlyn was hired as the Coastal Training Program Assistant for the ACE Basin NERR / SCDNR. Ana Bishop (Undergraduate Researcher)
Ana is a Biology major in UofSC’s Honors College, with a Marine Science minor. She is completing her Honors Thesis work on fecundity variations in the endangered North Atlantic right whale. This research uses statistical models to examine patterns in reproduction and behavior that are passed down from grandmothers to mothers to daughters in the right whale population. After graduation, Ana worked as an intern in the Manatee Research Program at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and went onto Duke University to complete a Master's Degree. |