Andrew Rassweiler,
PI
Studies marine spatial management, ecological resilience and temperate and tropical reef ecology.
Alexandra Dubel,
PhD Candidate
Ally is uses fieldwork and statistics to research a wide spectrum of topics including novel ecosystems and human-coupled systems. Ally was the Research Technician for the Rassweiler/Lester Lab for three years prior to transitioning to student. She has a B.A. in Theater Arts from Florida State University and a B.A. in Mathematics from George Mason University. She received an M.P.S. in Marine Conservation from University of Miami.
Allie Blanchette,
PhD Candidate
Allie studies how species interactions and human activities play into the resilience of marine ecosystems. She received a B.S. in Environmental Science from UCLA. She also has a special place in her heart for farmer damselfish, after conducting her undergraduate research on them and their roles in nutrient recycling on coral reefs as well as their influence on coral community dynamics in Mo'orea.
Chanti Max, Undergraduate Researcher
Chanti is a sophomore at Florida State University pursuing a Bachelor's in Environmental Science. They assist in the lab's investigation of restored and wild Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral) reefs in Bonaire by analyzing seafloor images to train a computer algorithm (CoralNet) in organism and substrate identification. Passionate about conservation and environmental justice, Chanti enjoys learning about traditional environmental knowledge and hopes to contribute to the marine biology field throughout and after her studies. As a freshman, Chanti joined the lab through the UROP program and researched the frequency of disease between wild and restored sites of A. cervicornis.
Check out Chanti and Cathryn’s research poster on Acropora cervicornis here.
Cathryn Ramon, Undergraduate Researcher
Cathryn is a junior at Florida State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science. Interested in corals and marine ecology, she initially joined the lab through the UROP program to explore her research interests. She currently aids in the use of benthic photographs to train an algorithm to recognize and access Acropora cervicornis mortality, as well as the frequencies of various stressors.
Check out Cathryn and Chanti’s research poster on Acropora cervicornis here.
Lauren Lennertz, Undergraduate Researcher
Lauren is a sophomore at FSU pursuing a degree in Biological Science, and her research in the lab is funded through WIMSE’s Research Experience Program. She is currently working on analyzing the fate of bleached corals over time from orthomosaic images taken of the reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia. She previously worked simultaneously on two projects within the scope of analyzing benthic organisms on coral reefs: for one project, she analyzed parrotfish bite scars on Porites coral, and for the other, she worked on training a computer algorithm (CoralNet) in organism and substrate identification. Lauren plans on continuing her studies and research in the field of marine biology throughout undergrad and beyond.
Check out Lauren’s research posters on her work here.
LAB ALUMNI
Scott Miller Ph.D.,
Former graduate student
Scott is interested in how ecological interactions can be shaped by various natural and anthropogenic factors, and how this variation influences the resilience of ecosystems. He has a B.S. in Biological Science from Clemson University where he studied the den sharing behavior of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters and an M.S. from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories where he investigated the effects of oceanographic variability on the trophic ecology of coral reef fishes from the central Pacific.
Jenn McHenry,
former graduate student
Jenn now a Ph.D. student at Florida State University in the Lester Lab. She uses macro-ecology, remote-sensing, and GIS to understand, map, and incorporate critical marine ecosystem dynamics into spatial fisheries management, conservation, and multi-use planning strategies. Jenn has a B.Sc. in marine sciences and a double M.Sc. in marine biology and marine policy from the University of Maine.
Daniel K. Okamoto,
former Post-Doctoral Researcher
Dan is now an assistant professor at Florida State University. He focuses on quantitative population dynamics, temperate reef ecology, and fisheries & conservation science.
Website: dkokamoto.wordpress.com
Gema Hernan,
former Post-Doctoral Researcher
Gema is interested in understanding the processes and mechanisms that regulate the structure and functioning of coastal systems, with emphasis on how human activities transform them locally, regionally and globally. She has a PhD in Marine Ecology and focused her research on the effects of environmental changes in seagrasses and their trophic interactions.
Logan Turner,
former Undergraduate Researcher
Logan is an undergrad pursuing Marine Biology at Florida State University. Currently in Dr. Rassweiler's lab he is investigating the spatial distribution of coral and algae cover in Mo’orea's coral reefs. Other research activities include deepwater sharks, saltwater catfish, and population dynamics of commercial fish species. Following graduation he is working with two different teams studying underwater archeology in Florida and sea turtle conservation in the Galapagos islands.
Alyssa Turner,
former Undergraduate Researcher
Alyssa is an undergrad who is a member of FSU's Women in Math, Science, and Engineering society. She is pursuing a Bachelor's in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology. Under the supervision of the Rassweiler lab, she has analyzed the spatial patterns of the coral reef tracts in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Alyssa is currently investigating the distribution of grazing scars on Porites coral throughout the island. Over the summer, Alyssa plans to travel to Panama to participate in FSU's Tropical Behavioral Ecology Program and gain more research experience.
Candy Byrom, former
Undergraduate Researcher
Candy is Tallahassee native who graduated in Spring 2021 with a BS in Biological Science. In Fall 2022, she will begin working on her MS in Aquatic Environmental Science. For about a year, her main role has been to taxonomically identify harvested fish species for the Rassweiler Lab. This is important in understanding the dynamics of coral reef fisheries in Mo’orea, where herbivorous fish species are heavily consumed. She enjoys learning about the important roles of various fish species in the ecosystem, as well as working with a group of scientists who are passionate about conservation. As an avid water enthusiast, she hopes to continue contributing to an environmentally healthy future throughout her career.
Aya Saludo,
former
Undergraduate Researcher
Aya is a junior at Florida State University pursuing a B.S. in Food and Nutritional Science. She works with the Rassweiler Lab as the fish sizing technician. She was a part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) where she worked with Rassweiler Lab and other UROP peers to present the topic of Understanding Fishing in a Coral Reef Ecosystem.
Lena Kury, Undergraduate Researcher
Lena is a senior undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Biology with a focus in Marine Biology. She is currently investigating the pattern of four-eye butterflyfish grazing on parrotfish grazing scars on hard coral substrate, specifically brain coral, to analyze how butterflyfish grazing affects coral health. Recently, she began helping PhD student Ally Dubel develop methodology for analyzing videos of Pacific bullethead parrotfish and striated surgeonfish. Over the past two summers, she has participated in field work in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands and completed an internship at the Darling Marine Center in Walpole, Maine. After graduation, she hopes to pursue her PhD in fish behavior and/or coral reef health.
Check out Lena’s research poster on butterflyfish grazing here.