I am currently a 4th year undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island, majoring in Marine Biology and minoring in Chinese. I’ll actually be graduating this December! I joined Marecotec in Fall 2025 and have loved every minute of it.
What made you decide to go into marine science?
As cliche as it sounds, it was actually the Blue Planet documentaries with David Attenborough. My grandparents would always record them on the TiVo so I could watch them ad nauseam every time I came to visit. My favorite, of course, was always the one focused on the deep sea, which ultimately led me to pursue deep-sea research.
What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?
I’ve spent the last year reviewing and annotating our lander footage from the MDBC project. I identify species, behavior, and environmental variables in thousands of videos and image stills from roughly half a dozen locations at the bottom of the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). Currently, I’m using the data to determine species diversity and abundance metrics of fishes across these locations, and I’m compiling a species guide of these fishes.
I think the most important takeaway is honestly being able to admit defeat. Not all of the footage is usable and not all of the organisms are confidently identifiable, both of which are okay. On top of that, identifying down to the species level is rather difficult as well, since there isn’t exactly a Peterson’s Field Guide for the deep ocean. Deep-sea research isn’t exactly known for being smooth-sailing, but that’s what makes it so interesting to pursue.
What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?
There’s two things that come to mind. First is simply all of the fascinating things I’ve come across by combing through all of this footage. Bioluminescence, rarely seen species, and things that I never thought I’d personally witness outside of those Blue Planet documentaries. Second is submitting an abstract to the International Symposium for Deep Sea Corals (ISDSC) with Jasper and Andy. To have my name on research that will be recognized on an international scale is something I’m incredibly proud of, and I hope that this is just the beginning!
What is one fun fact about you?
I studied abroad in Taiwan for six weeks over the summer for my Chinese minor, which was an unforgettable experience. I highly recommend doing a study abroad program if you have the opportunity.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
I think time manipulation would be useful. Having 24 hours in a day seems to never be enough!