INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Several graduate students studying at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute will continue their Indian River Lagoon-based research, thanks to funding from the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation (HBOIF).
The Indian River Lagoon Graduate Research Fellowships program was created by HBOIF and is funded by the proceeds from the “Love Your Lagoon” event, which takes place annually each February.
The competitive process identified seven FAU graduate students who are performing research at HBOI which is directly related to the Indian River Lagoon. This research will increase our understanding of the ecosystem and will lead to methods to conserve this vital waterway.
The 2014 awardees are: Jessene Aquino-Thomas, a Ph.D. student who is working to identify species diversity and interactions in the Indian River Lagoon; Gabby Barbarite, a Ph.D. student who is investigating the occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio bacteria in the Indian River Lagoon; Jacob Berninger, a M.S. student who is designing systems for sea grass restoration in the Indian River Lagoon; Alison Feibel, a M.S. student who is studying the effects of algal blooms on sea grass health in the Indian River Lagoon; Phyllis Klarmann, a M.S. student who is studying the utility of tunicates as bioremediators in the Indian River Lagoon; Alycia Shatters, an M.S. student who is studying the effects of water outflow from the Indian River Lagoon on the adjacent coral reefs of St. Lucie county; and Kathryn Tiling, a Ph.D. student who is studying sea grass diversity and its effects on environmental restoration.