School of Ocean Science and Engineering
Postdoc and Graduate Students
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Postdoctoral Researchers
Shannan McAskill
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kelly Darnell/Coastal Ecology and Seagrass Biology
Research: Fisheries, ichthyoplankton, seagrass ecology, plant-animal interactions, submerged
aquatic vegetation
Degree: Ph.D.
Graduate Students
Sumi Akter
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Saillant
Research: Eastern Oyster Genetics
Patrick M Graham
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Robert Leaf
Research: Life history characteristics, population dynamics, and movements of coastal and estuarine
finfish
Jeremy Higgs
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Robert Leaf
Research: Highly Migratory Species
Hailee Nigro
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Zachary Darnell
Research: Behavioral and physiological ecology of marine invertebrates
Uchechukwu Ohajiudu
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Saillant and Dr. Reg Blaylock
Research: Reproduction physiology and Breeding of marine finfish
Margaret (Maggie) Bell Waldron
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Patrick Biber
Research: Coastal biogeography
Geoffry Spooner
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Chet Rakocinski
Research: Estuary Ecology
Md Abu Zafor
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Mamunur Rashid
Research: Models for Storm Surges: Developing innovative models using Deep learning to enhance
our understanding of storm surges
Raihan Uddin Ahmed
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Md Mamunur Rashid
Research: Multi-hazard risk assessment. Statistical application in hydrology
Lindsay Bomgardner
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Michael Andres
Research: Movement of juvenile lemon sharks
Brynna Buckmaster
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Saillant
Research: Oyster aquaculture genetics and heritability of disease resistance traits
Emma Coltman
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Powell
Research: Ecological relationships in the marine environment among shellfish
Micayla Cochran
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Zachary Darnell
Research: Behavioral and physiological ecology of marine invertebrates.
Calvin Chee
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Robert Leaf
Research: Fisheries science
Caitlyn Fontenot
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Reg Blaylock and Dr. Eric Powell
Research: Oyster larvae growth and survival under different ocean acidification projections
Jasmine Hall
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Reg Blaylock and Dr. Eric Powell
Research: My research looks at how water quality parameters (salinity, temperature, pH, DO,
alkalinity, and calcium) effect oyster larvae growth and survivability at different
hatcheries along the Gulf of Mexico
Devan Hildebrand
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kelly Darnell
Research: Ecology, marine pollution, and conservation
Lora Holman
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Saillant
Research: Population and conservation genetics
Makenzie Holifield
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Wei Wu
Research: Seasonal variability and anthropogenic influence on vulnerable brackish marsh ecosystems;
hydrological extremes on vulnerable coastal communities and ecosystems
James Klein
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Powell
Research: Modeling oyster larval performance; modeling oyster population dynamics; monitoring
oyster disease (Dermo) prevalence; evaluating various oyster triploid line performance
in aquaculture gear
David May
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kim de Mutsert
Research: Using ecological niche-based species distribution models to explore the effects of
Bonnet Carre Spillway openings on the distribution and abundance of important fisheries
species in the Mississippi Sound
Autumn Moya
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Powell
Research: The future impacts of climate change scenarios and wind energy development on surf
clam fisheries and marine ecosystems
Adam Murray
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kim de Mutsert
Research: Investigating the response of commercially and ecologically relevant species to shifting
environmental conditions in the Mississippi Sound.
Abiola Obafemi
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kim De Mutsert
Research: The effects of hypoxic conditions caused by freshwater diversion on ecological and
economically important species in the Mississippi Sound. Abiola aims to inform policymakers
about the impacts of water management structures on aquatic ecosystems
Nimah Folake Osho-Abdulgafar
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Robert Leaf
Research: Fisheries management
Alyssa Pagel
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Michael Andres
Research: Movement, habitat use, and interactions of fishes
Morgan Segrest
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Michael Andres
Research: Fisheries Ecology, Conservation Ecology, and Management Practices
Sarah Stovall
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Michael Andres
Research: Mark recapture and telemetry of Gulf Sturgeon within the Pearl and Pascagoula Rivers
Nur Pasha Sufian
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kevin Dillon
Research: Explore the bioavailability of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON) in the Mississippi
Sound to quantify nutrient delivery from various sources
Molly Spencer
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Eric Powell
Research: I model the future impacts of climate-induced warming on range shifts in commercially
important bivalve species in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, specifically the Atlantic surfclam
and the ocean quahog, and how this will influence their associated fisheries
Isabelle Townsend
M.S.
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Leila Hamdan
Research: Molecular Microbial Ecology
Caitlin M. Young
Faculty/Lab Research
Dr. Kelly Darnell
Research: Seagrass reproductive ecology; seagrass/benthic community succession and recruitment;
climate change/anthropogenic influences on seagrass ecology; biogeochem of benthic
habitats
Graduate Students
Agno Rubim de Assis
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Leonardo Macelloni/ Deep Ocean Exploration Lab
Research: Autonomous underwater and surface vehicles for hydrographic surveys
Luis Altamirano Perez
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Chelsea Pederson
Research: Using acoustic instruments including Fluvial Acoustic Tomography system and Acoustic
Zooplankton Fish Profiler to monitor the freshwater and sediment transport to the
northern GoM
Olagoke Daramola
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Gero Nootz/Ocean Exploration Lab
Research: Motion compensation and signal peak detection of a 360⁰ underwater LiDAR system
Raju Kundu
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Gero Nootz/Ocean Exploration Lab
Research: Motion compensation and signal peak detection of a 360⁰ underwater LiDAR system
Aliyah Cabell
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Johnston Oguntuase
Research: Hydrographic surveying
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Lucas Barbedo
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Xiaodong Zhang/Marine Optics Lab
Research: Autonomous optical observation and its application in remote sensing of ocean color
and water quality.
Degree: Ph.D in Oceanography from University of Quebec at Rimouski
Research Associates
Melissa Gilbert
Senior Research Associate
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Alan Shiller/Center for Trace Analysis
Research: Trace element analysis; support of ICP-MS operations; training and assisting students
with field work and sample analysis
Yuanheng Xiong
Research Associate
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Xiaodong Zhang
Research: Ocean optics and particle characterization
Graduate Students
Azadeh Razavi Arab
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Diana Bernstein
Research: Wind Field Evaluation over the Gulf of Mexico, Wave Simulation, Coastal, and Estuarine
Modeling, Field Measurements and Data Analysis, Coastal Morphodynamics and Shoreline
Changes
Olagoke Daramola
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Gero Nootz/Ocean Exploration Lab
Research: Motion compensation and signal peak detection of a 360⁰ underwater LiDAR system
Shara Gremillion
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Davin Wallace
Research: My research focuses on the geomorphology, sedimentology, and sediment transport dynamics
of sandy barrier islands, coastlines, and river systems.
Kandice Gunning
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Anand Hiroji
Research: Extraction of Angular Response Curves for Oyster Reefs in Pass Christian Mississippi
Using an Interferometric Bathymetric Sonar (Edgetech 4600)
Rachel Lancaster
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Krsitina Mojica
Research: Identification and quanitficaton of marine microplastics and nanoplastcis
Senam Tsei
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Stephan Howden
Research: An observational study of upper ocean processes and their impacts on a tropical cyclone
intensity in the Gulf of Mexico.
Harpreet Kaur
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Maarten Buijsman
Research: Investigating the spatial and temporal variability of Internal tides in the global
ocean
Raju Kundu
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Gero Nootz (Ocean Exploration Lab)
Research: Motion compensation and signal peak detection of a 360⁰ underwater LiDAR system.
Carrie Miller
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Davin Wallace (Coastal Evolution and Hazards Research Lab)
Research: A marine geologist investigating incised valley-fill on the Gulf of Mexico inner-shelf
through multiple sea-level stages. Her work utilizes various methods including geophysics,
particle size analysis, radiocarbon, and sediment core descriptions.
Hafeez Oladejo
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Diana Bernstein
Research: Coastal processes observation and modelling
Agno Rubim de Assis
Ph.D. (Hydrography)
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Leonardo Macelloni/ Deep Ocean Exploration Lab
Research: Autonomous underwater and surface vehicles for hydrographic surveys
Oladeji Siyanbola
Ph.D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Maarten Buijsman/Physo Lab
Research: The effect of remotely generated internal waves on coastal dynamics
Thomas Wissing
Ph. D.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Xiaodong Zhang/Marine Optics Lab
Research: Investigating particle dynamics in the ocean using optical observation
Hameed Ajibade
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Jerry Wiggert
Research: Circulation modeling to study oyster larvae transport and recruitment
Betina Brockamp
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Stephan Howden/Ocean Science and Monitoring Lab
Research: Near-inertial oscillations in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Yean Das
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Kristina Mojica, Dr. Christopher Hayes
Research: Marine virus production through bacterial lysis and carbon biogeochemistry
Marc Diard
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Jerry Wiggert
Research: Circulation and wind-wave modeling of the coastal ocean. Application of HR Radar to
wind spectrum validation
Mallory Dyson
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Scott Milroy
Research: Ecological modeling in the Gulf of Mexico
Ali Emre Koruk
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Kemal Cambazoglu (Ocean & Circulation Modeling Group)
Research: Physical Modeling of the Bonnet Carré Spillway
Nicholas Gagliano
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Jerry Wiggert
Research: Circulation and sediment transport modeling of the coastal ocean
Riza Magbitang
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Alan Shiller/Center for Trace Analysis
Research: Ocean geochemistry
Ardian M Rizal
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Jerry Wiggert
Research: Application of the SWAN-ROMS coupling model in the COAWST-based modeling system
Shihab Hossain Saran
M.S.
Faculty/Lab
Dr. Kemal Cambazoglu/Ocean Modeling Group-
Research: Understanding the circulation and sedimentation in Gulf of Mexico using ROMS numerical
model
