Group: Current members

I’m a 4th year undergraduate student studying Computer Engineering (CPE) at the University of Rhode Island. I joined the lab during my Bridge to Ocean Exploration (B2OE) internship in the fall of 2024. I do all things related to electronics and software and I’ve had a lot of fun working on various projects for the team.

What made you decide to go into marine science?

Throughout my life I hadn’t been super interested in marine science but I’ve always loved going to the beach and swimming. I’ve seen many documentaries about the deep sea and I have always been curious about marine life and how humanity can explore the deeper parts of the ocean. Before the B2OE program, I didn’t know how I could apply the CPE skills that I had been developing in school to marine science but after reading the project descriptions for the program, I learned about how I can make an impact in this field and my interest skyrocketed. I became really interested in the applications of CPE that were being used in marine science such as ROVs, AUVs, and a variety of sensors. I also wanted to learn more about the variety of organisms that dwell within ocean waters and the relationships between them which ultimately led to marine science.

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

The focus of my work is the development of underwater camera systems that record deep sea environments. The most important takeaway from my work is that advanced marine exploration relies entirely on interdisciplinary collaboration. Building these camera systems has shown me that engineering choices made in the lab directly dictate the quality and scope of ecological discoveries made in the deep sea.

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

The coolest thing that I’ve done through my work is controlling a stereo camera system with a Raspberry Pi 5. I think it’s really cool because the board interfaces with a lot of different components and sensors that have to all work together to function reliably and its been nice to see how the data from the system has been helping the lab members with their research.

What is one fun fact about you?

I can solve a Rubik’s cube in under a minute.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

I would like the ability to teleport because I love to travel and being able to teleport would allow me to go anywhere in the world without having to pay for transportation. I would also never have to deal with traffic and if I’ve had a long day I can just teleport to bed.

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!

 

 

I am currently a 3rd year undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island, studying Marine Biology and Aquaculture and Fisheries Science. I joined the lab in Spring 2026 and have been enjoying research with the team.

What made you decide to go into marine science?

I have to give credit to my grandfather for shaping my interests at such an early age. Living on an island off the coast of Scotland, he would take me fishing out on his boat every time I came to visit, instilling a sense of curiosity in me that has persisted into adulthood. There’s something mysterious about the ocean, and I find the fact that it is largely unexplored to be very exciting.

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

My work mostly involves processing and analyzing data collected by our landers. I use lander data to create time series of oceanographic variables, while annotating images and videos with environmental or biological characteristics. Recently, I have been focused on aligning numerical and visual data to form conclusions about the health and diversity of deep sea coral reef communities.

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

I got the opportunity to go on a 2 week research cruise in the Gulf of America (formerly Mexico) with Dr. Davies, where we deployed one of our landers 3 times for some high frequency data collection. It was really cool to spend all summer preparing the lander and then get to actually deploy it myself. I also enjoyed getting to collaborate with other scientists in the field and learning from their research.

What is one fun fact about you?

I like listening to music, and I play drums, guitar, and bass.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

I seem to get injured in pretty stupid ways pretty often, so I think invulnerability would be a nice superpower to have.

What made you decide to go into marine science?

I fell into marine science almost by accident. I spent most of my time in undergrad thinking that I would be an organic chemist – my research for three years involved the synthesis of novel nucleosides to aid in drug delivery. With my senior thesis I decided that I wanted to try something a little bit different and expand my knowledge in other areas of chemistry. I researched the efficacy of fin clips as a non-lethal monitoring method for mercury in Hudson River fish and almost immediately fell in love with environmental chemistry. After graduation I had the opportunity to work with the U.S. EPA looking at emerging contaminants and have ever since been enthralled with the field of marine science.

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

My research broadly focuses on microplastic pollution in the Narragansett Bay. With my work, I hope to be able to identify major sources of microplastics to the Bay and continue to develop methodologies that can unify and advance research whether that be through field sampling methods or analytical techniques. For me, the most important takeaway from my research is that pollution, especially plastic pollution, effects everyone, although it often disproportionately effects marginalized and underserved communities. Quantifying sources and sinks of this kind of pollution is incredibly important to informing policy and research that can directly serve these communities.

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

Through my work I’ve had the opportunity to work across several disciplines and collaborate with a diverse group of scientists and community partners. It’s been really valuable for me to gain experience in areas of research outside of my own focus and it’s been awesome seeing how my ideas have influenced research directions and outputs in these areas.

What is one fun fact about you?

A fun fact about me is that I was once in a one-night-only all girls punk rock band as the bass guitarist.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Ever since I was little I’ve wanted to be able to fly. I know this is super basic, but I really loved to travel and I thought seeing the world from above was a really cool idea. And frankly, I think five-year-old MC had a great point with that.

My name is Celeste Weidemann (they/them) and I started my masters in Biological Oceanography Spring 2025. Prior to joining the lab, I graduated from Vassar College in May 2023 with a degree in Environmental Studies with focuses in geography and biology as well as a minor in mathematics and statistics. While there, I participated in as many research opportunities as I could ranging from understanding the scope of ranavirus in amphibians to how anthropogenic dirt can affect the adhesiveness of spiderwebs.

What made you decide to go into marine science?

I decided to go into marine science because it combined my wide range of research interests. I get to use mechanical engineering to build benthic landers, I use mathematical analysis when I code, and I use my background in ecology to understand coral reef habitats. Most importantly, I have the opportunity to create change and advocate for climate justice by understanding and spreading awareness of the importance of marine life. Every day is unique and for that I am grateful!

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

Although I am still early in my masters, my broad focus will be understanding how environmental variables affect cold-water coral reefs through data analysis and research cruises. I hope to study the hydrodynamics of the reefs and how that will change with the climate crisis. Most importantly, the take away is that the Earth is interconnected! Although cold-water corals tend to be at deep locations and most people may not even know they exist, they serve an important role in the ocean ecosystem as a whole. I hope to use my research to advocate for policies protecting these precious coral systems.
What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?
The coolest thing I have done for work is taking a research scuba diving class. There is no better feeling than breathing underwater and getting to study marine science first hand!

What is one fun fact about you?

I was an extra for the Sex Lives of College Girls when they filmed at Vassar College! You can see me in episode 8 in the stands wearing a gray jean jacket.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation! I absolutely love to travel and it would save me so much money and time if I didn’t have to pay for flights. I would travel to a new country every day! I also would simply teleport home the next time I forget to bring something to work…

In 2015 I graduated from the University of Miami with a Major in Biology and Minors in Marine Science and Art focused in underwater photography. I joined the marecotec lab in 2023 as a PhD student after completing my BlueMBA, a Master’s program with dual degrees in Business Administration and Oceanography, at URI. The last 10 years of my research have been focused on shark ecology and telemetry and I have narrowed my focus to deep-sea sharks and building the technology needed to study them over the last couple of years. 

What made you decide to go into marine science?

I wouldn’t say that I made a decision to go into marine science. I was the kid that had to be dragged away from the beach annoying my parents with questions about what I saw there. As I got older and learned about the scientific method, applying that to my questions was the only thing I wanted to do. 

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

I am focused on developing Accessible Ocean Technologies – those that both broaden our physical access to all parts of the ocean and the amounts and types of people who can use them – and deploying them to study deep-sea sharks. 

For being the largest, and arguably the most important, ecosystem on our planet, the deep-sea is extremely understudied. In order to collect the data we need and enough of it, the next generation of Accessible Ocean Solutions must be more cost-effective, simple to use, and rugged. None of our science goals to support the future ocean we want can be achieved without data and data cannot be collected without empowering all communities with more accessible technologies. 

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

I have been very fortunate to have done many incredible things through my work thus far. Probably one of my favorite experiences was getting a giant squid on camera at 900m deep in Bermuda. 

What is one fun fact about you?

I love water sports. My favorites are sailing and windsurfing and I’m teaching myself to foil and surf. 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Able to live underwater at any depth. Imagine swimming with the colossal squid!

 

My name is Timothy Melendez, a lab member in my sophomore year of mechanical engineering. I joined the lab during my B2OE internship during the school year in 2023. I have been lucky enough to be able to extend my time here at the lab as I continue studying through my undergraduate degree.

What made you decide to go into marine science?

I have always loved all things science and exploration and wanted to do my part in furthering our understanding of the world around us. Never mind all the deep-sea documentaries I’ve seen throughout my life, an intense curiosity about what lies below definitely affected why I chose this field.

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

The primary focus of my work at the lab is to solve engineering problems encountered in research, most often on the several landers that the lab produces. Solutions can be anything from designing, prototyping, electronics, assembly, and in-house fabrication. As well as being responsible for some of the lab’s equipment, such as the 3D printers.

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

I love designing and coming up with solutions, and applying my love for the process to projects of this importance is all I can ask for. But one of the coolest things I’ve been able to do is acting as a support tech on a 2-week mapping expedition in the Gulf of Maine.

What is one fun fact about you?

One fun fact about me is that I do small-scale design and fabrication commissions using my 3D printer and other materials.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

This is a question I think about quite often, but I would have to say to be able to pause time while having the ability to move around freely and bring other objects into the time bubble with me. That way I could get everything done without worrying so much about due dates (my nemesis).

My name is Jasper (he/they) and I joined the Davies lab in Fall 2023 as a PhD student. I completed my M.Res at the University of Southampton and my B.S. in Biology at Florida State University.

What made you decide to go into marine science?

As a child, I remember so distinctly watching documentaries about the ocean, and realizing I wanted to do that too—not make documentaries but be an expert in marine science. During my undergraduate career I tried lots of different fields out in the scope of marine biology, but never was able to break into deep-sea science, something that I was really dying to try. Thankfully, though, my Master’s project focused on a patchy cold-water coral assemblage of Lophelia pertusa in Greenland at a depth of 900-1300 m, and their impact on that cnidarian community’s diversity and distribution. This is what really
threw me into a passion for cold-water corals.

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

I focus on diversity and distribution of benthic communities. Amond this research, my goal is to understand what factors control diversity of communities in the deep-sea. I apply these questions to both
hydrothermal vent communities, cold-water coral communities, and sponge gardens. I think the most important takeaway of my research is how sensitive the deep-sea is. Even the smallest of changes can largely impact diversity and distribution of deep-sea communities. Finding what factors can have that impact is what I really care about investigating in the long-term.

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

So far, one of my favorite things we’ve done have been working on the landers. I wasn’t particularly inclined to learn much about tools before joining the Davies lab, but it’s been really fun, and I’ve learned so much!

I also love Science Saturday! I really excel in public engagement, and being able to present about the lab’s work at Science Saturday, as well as teach people about corals was super fun. I know it isn’t everyone’s “coolest” moment, but to me, there aren’t many more things that beat it.

What is one fun fact about you?

I spent a year working in the education and outreach department of an aquarium after I completed my degree at The University of Southampton, where I worked extensively with ambassador reptiles and public engagement/education. Additionally, I feel that being able to speak to the general public and get them excited about conservation is an important part of environmental stewardship, and something scientists should be an active part of. Because of that experience, I now have two reptiles at home, a ball python and a leopard gecko!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

I would be a shapeshifter! I think it would be really cool to be an animal that can survive in the deep-sea… Then I could swim around and gather all the information we could ever possibly need. But also, how awesome would it be to fly? Or just have a different hair style every single day?!

Hi! My name is Lexie DelViscio, and I’m a third-year Biological Oceanography M.S. student in the Davies lab at URI-GSO, where I’m wrapping up my thesis and preparing to defend. I joined the lab in September 2024 after earning my B.S. in Marine Biology with a minor in Data Science from the College of Charleston. I’m originally from Annapolis, MD, and in my free time I enjoy reading on the beach, cooking, running, watching hockey, and exploring Rhode Island!

What made you decide to go into marine science?

My passion, love, and curiosity regarding the ocean began at a young age and stemmed from playing in the tide pools of Maine and swimming on the beaches of Cape Cod every summer. As I got older I realized that I didn’t want to spend my life doing anything other than studying and exploring the ocean! I discovered in undergraduate school how much I was drawn to research, and that solidified my decision to pursue my masters in the field.

What is the focus of your research/work? What do you think is the most important takeaway from your research?

My research focuses on understanding how the seafloor’s shape and the local currents influence where deep-sea cold-water corals live in the Gulf of Mexico, including periodic disturbances from Loop Current eddies. These habitats are still poorly understood because the deep sea is difficult and expensive to study. I combine long-term environmental data collected in situ by our lab’s benthic landers, video surveys of the coral communities, and high-resolution seafloor mapping to connect the physical environment to the communities living there. I think the most important takeaway from my work is that conditions can vary greatly between nearby habitats. Measuring the environment at fine scales is key if we want to predict where these vulnerable ecosystems occur and how they will respond to a changing ocean.

What is the coolest thing you’ve done through your work?

I’ve sailed on research cruises in Fiji and American Samoa! In Fiji, I mapped habitats around deep-sea hydrothermal vents. In American Samoa, I was a seafloor mapping intern aboard the E/V Nautilus, charting unexplored parts of the ocean floor. I also hosted live ship-to-shore broadcasts, sharing our work with students and audiences around the world. Along the way, we crossed the equator at the International Date Line, which officially makes me a Golden Shellback!

What is one fun fact about you?

I’ve cliff jumped in the Dominican Republic and in Taormina, Sicily

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation! I love to travel, and it would cut down on costs and be environmentally friendly. It would also make getting to deep-sea field sites much easier.