I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science with Magna Cum Laude honours at the University of Maine in the United States. During my fourth year, I conducted my capstone study comparing the feeding responses of Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) to live, motile algae cells and frozen algal paste in an aquaculture setting. During this time, I also earned my AAUS Scientific Diver certification.
My Master’s research “Determining population structure and connectivity of relict oyster beds on the West Coast of Ireland for restoration” is part of the Oyster Information and Scientific Restoration of Ecosystems in Conamara (OISRE) project led by Dr. Jose M. Fariñas-Franco, and is funded by the IRC Enterprise Partnership Scheme in collaboration with Údaras Na Gaeltachta. My project aims to understand the genetic structure and connectivity of extant native oyster beds in Kilkieran and Bertraghboy Bay through SNP analysis of sampled adult oysters and larvae. The genetic information from these beds will inform restoration efforts on damaged native oyster populations in Ireland and around Europe.
