People

Principal investigator

Max C. N. Castorani

Education:
2014 Ph.D. Ecology, University of California, Davis and San Diego State University
2008 B.S. Evolution & Ecology, Ohio State University

Appointments:
2023–Present. Associate Professor, University of Virginia
2017–2023. Assistant Professor, University of Virginia
2014–2017. Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Santa Barbara

Curriculum vitae

Email: castorani@virginia.edu

Lab manager and lead research technician

Wil Atencio

Education:
2024 M.S. Biology, Georgia Southern University
2020 B.S. Zoology, University of Wyoming

Research interests: oyster reef ecology, host-parasite dynamics, ecosystem function, restoration, coastal conservation

Curriculum vitae

Email: watencio@virginia.edu

Graduate students

Billie Beckley

Ph.D. student (at UC Santa Barbara; primary advisor: Robert Miller)

Education:
2020 M.S. Ecology, San Diego State University
2014 B.S. Environmental Science, Dickinson College

Research interests: marine ecology, conservation, disturbance ecology, kelp forests, primary producers

Email: billiebeckley@ucsb.edu

Lauren E. Brideau

Ph.D. candidate
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

Education:
2020 B.S. Environmental Systems & Sustainability Studies, Southern Connecticut State Univ.

Research interests: community ecology, restoration, ecosystem function, seagrass meadows, coastal dynamics

Email: lbrideau@virginia.edu

Michael R. Cornish

Ph.D. candidate
Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellow

Education:
2019 B.A. Human Ecology (Ecology/Evolution), College of the Atlantic

Research interests: foundation species, community ecology, coastal ecology, UAS imagery

Email: mcornish@virginia.edu

 

Ethan Kadiyala

Ph.D. candidate

Education:
2020 B.S. Environmental Studies & Physical Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara

Research interests: conservation science, coastal ecology, biogeography, biological oceanography, marine community ecology

Email: ekadiyala@virginia.edu

Chris Oxley

Ph.D. student
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow; UVA Presidential Fellow

Education:
2022 B.S. Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston

Research interests: coastal ecology, community ecology, conservation, restoration, invertebrate zoology

Undergraduate students

Emily Barker 

Lead Undergraduate Research Technician (2024–2025)
Research Technician (2022–2025)
Education: 2025 Global Studies: Environments & Sustainability, University of Virginia
Research interests: global sustainability, island ecology, indigenous knowledge, sustainable financial systems

Rachel Bohannon

Research Technician (2021–2025)
Education: 2025 B.S. Environmental Sciences and B.A. Environmental Thought and Practice, University of Virginia
Research interests: conservation, marine ecology, global sustainability

Maddi Crowe

Research Technician (2025)
Education: 2027 B.S. Environmental Sciences and B.A. Economics, University of Virginia
Research interests: ecology, biodiversity, sustainability, climate impacts

Sam Cupka

Research Technician (2025)
Education: 2027 B.S. Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
Research interests: coastal ecology, marine biology, conservation

Tori Dickerson

Tori Dickerson

Research Technician (2025)
Education: 2027 B.S. Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
Research interests: marine ecology, global sustainability, traditional knowledge, environmental justice

Jennifer Hunsinger

Jenny Hunsinger

Research Technician (2025)
Education: 2026 B.S. Environmental Sciences and B.A. Classics, University of Virginia
Research interests: coastal ecosystems, nutrient enrichment, responses to global change

Sophia Kuzminski

Sophia Kuzminski

Research Technician (2023–2025)
Education: 2026 B.S. Biology, University of Virginia
Research interests: animal behavior, coastal ecology, conservation

Aleyna_Loughran_Pierce

Aleyna Loughran-Pierce

Research Technician (2024–2025)
Education: 2025, B.S. Environmental Sciences and B.A. Astronomy, University of Virginia
Research interests: tidal patterns, conservation, marine and coastal ecology, cultural ties to marine environments

Ella Mortimer

Research Technician (2023–2025)
Education: 2025 B.S. Environmental Sciences and B.A. Biology, University of Virginia
Research interests: coastal ecology, marine biology, global conservation and sustainability

Kendle Schooler

Research Technician (2025)
Education: 2026 B.S. Environmental Sciences and Minor Data Science, University of Virginia
Research interests: terrestrial and aquatic ecology, wildlife biology, environmental justice

Elizabeth_Shiker

Elizabeth Shiker

Research Technician (2024–2025)
Education: 2027 B.A. Economics and Minor Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
Research interests: marine ecology, conservation, ecosystem restoration

Maya Tatel-McMillen

Maya Tatel-McMillen

Research Technician (2023–2025)
Education: 2025 B.S. Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
Research interests: global conservation, coastal ecology, environmental justice

Tara Udani

Tara Udani

Research Technician (2025)
Education: 2027 B.S. Data Science and B.A. Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia
Research interests: coastal ecology, biodiversity, conservation

 

Annie_Wolsborn

Annie Wolsborn

Research Technician (2024–2025)
Education: 2025 B.A. Biology, University of Virginia
Research interests: animal behavior, marine biology, global sustainability

Lab alumni

  • Emily M. Goetz (2022–2024).
  • Amanda C. Lohmann (2023–2024).
    • Subsequent position: Data Scientist at Global Fishing Watch.
  • Maowei Liang (2021–2022).
    • Subsequent position: Research Scientist at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve and LTER, University of Minnesota.
  • Rachel S. Smith (2019–2022). TNC NatureNet Science Fellow.
    • Subsequent position: Assistant Researcher at University of California, Santa Barbara (SONGS Mitigation Monitoring Program).
  • Sean B. Hardison, Ph.D. (2019–2024). Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellow. 
    • Subsequent position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alaska Fairbanks and NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center.
  • Kinsey N. Tedford, Ph.D. (2018–2023). Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellow; Jefferson Scholars Foundation Fellow. 
    • Subsequent position: Fisheries Program Manager, Oyster Recovery Partnership.
  • Fernando Miguelena. Coastal-Heartland Marine Biology Summer Research Exchange Program (2024). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Sela Raisl. Coastal-Heartland Marine Biology Summer Research Exchange Program (2024). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Sam Solomon. Research Technician (2022–2024). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. 
  • Luciana Codella. Distinguished Majors Program (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “The response of eastern bluebird clutch size and first egg date to environmental factors.”
  • Alex Marshall. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Hayley Marshall. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Phillip Reeves. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Parker Sims. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Caroline Speidel. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. 
  • Mandy Unterhalter. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Lillibet Woodward. Research Technician (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • James Davis. Research Technician (2022–2023); Virginia Coast Reserve LTER REU (2022). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. 
  • Chloe Wetzler. Research Technician (2022–2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Connor Dooren. Research Technician (2021–2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Miriam Wanner. Senior Thesis (2021–2023); Distinguished Majors Program (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Dispersal synchronizes giant kelp forests.”
  • Katharine Schlachter. Research Technician (2020–2023); Virginia Coast Reserve LTER REU (2021); Distinguished Majors Program (2022). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Suspended algal dynamics across a seagrass meadow landscape.”
  • Olivia Redding. Research Technician (2019–2023); Distinguished Majors Program (2023). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “The effect of plant roots on loggerhead turtle nest success.”
  • Renee Hebert. Research Technician (2022). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Mattie Anderton. Research Technician (2022). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Jesus Neyra. Research Technician (2021–2022). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Selina Cheng. Research Technician (2020–2021); Virginia Coast Reserve LTER REU (2019); Distinguished Majors Program (2020–2021). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Blue crab spatial patterns across a seagrass landscape.”
  • Camille Wilson. Research Technician (2019–2021); Distinguished Majors Program (2022). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Comparing scale and otolith age estimates to understand the potential bias of long-term American shad age data in the Penobscot River.”
  • Maddy Ross. Research Technician (2019–2021). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Elizabeth Eareckson. Research Technician (2019–2020). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Shivani Lakshman. Research Technician (2019–2020). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. 
  • Jun DeBus. Research Technician (2018–2020). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Carrie Wentzel. Research Technician (2018–2020); Senior Thesis (2019–2020). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Spatial variation in seagrass recovery following habitat restoration.”
  • Sophia Rosenberg. Research Technician (2018–2020); Distinguished Majors Program (2020). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Biodiversity of oyster reef invertebrates at the Virginia Coast Reserve.”
  • Sarah Lang. Virginia Space Grant Consortium REU (2019); Distinguished Majors Program (2020–2021). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Modeling coastal water clarity using Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2.”
  • Elizabeth Daly. Research Technician (2018–2019); Virginia Coast Reserve LTER REU (2018). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Spatial distributions of large invertebrate consumers across a seagrass landscape.”
  • Samantha Townsend. Research Technician (2018–2019). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Elizabeth Bieri. Virginia Coast Reserve LTER REU (2018). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. “Effects of seagrass landscape structure on the growth of hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria.”
  • Emily Riley. Research Technician (2018). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia.
  • Taylor Traxler. Honors Thesis (2015-2017). Santa Barbara Coastal LTER, University of California, Santa Barbara. “Disturbance frequency structures ecologicial communities in Santa Barbara kelp forests.”
  • Taylor Simpkins. Research Technician (2012–2013). Coastal and Marine Institute, San Diego State University. “The effects of the exotic Asian mussel on the resilience of eelgrass to disturbance.”
  • Elizabeth Travis. Honors Thesis (2012–2013). Coastal and Marine Institute, San Diego State University. “Stable isotopes as a tool to trace California spiny lobster food webs.”
  • Cristina Lever. Research Technician (2011–2012). Coastal and Marine Institute, San Diego State University. “Effects of native predator chemical cues on anti-predation behaviors in an invasive marine bivalve.”
  • Olivia Turnross. Research Technician (2010). Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California, Davis. “Interactions between eelgrass Zostera marina and ghost shrimp Neotrypaea californiensis.