Research
My research applies molecular and computational methods to questions in coastal ecology, biodiversity monitoring, restoration, and marine biogeochemistry.
Great South Bay eDNA and oyster restoration
Oyster restoration can alter habitat structure, water quality, and the distribution of other organisms. In Great South Bay, my group uses eDNA metabarcoding to examine biodiversity at oyster-restored and comparison sites. The project is designed to evaluate whether eDNA-derived community data can contribute to assessments of ecosystem condition and restoration outcomes.
This work is conducted with undergraduate researchers at Molloy University and support from the Gino Macchio Foundation. It builds on earlier work developing molecular tools for monitoring bacterial communities and potential pathogens associated with restored oyster reefs.
Alongside the eDNA work and in collaboration with Seatuck Environmental Association, we are conducting an oyster spat-collection feasibility study to test whether natural recruitment can be measured reliably at candidate restoration sites in Great South Bay. Students and project partners prepare, deploy, and retrieve spat collectors to compare oyster settlement among locations and assess the potential for future restoration work.
- Developing eDNA metrics for assessing ecosystem health in Great South Bay
- Undergraduate research: eDNA for biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem assessment in Great South Bay
South Shore Estuary Reserve eDNA coordination
Beginning in 2026, I lead a three-year project supported by the New York State Department of State to coordinate eDNA monitoring across the South Shore Estuary Reserve. The project brings together researchers, agencies, and restoration practitioners working across Long Island’s south shore bays.
The work includes:
- inventorying existing and planned eDNA monitoring;
- developing shared quality-assurance guidance and evaluating methodological comparability;
- processing archived and newly collected samples using documented workflows;
- evaluating eDNA-derived biodiversity measures as indicators of ecosystem condition; and
- developing accessible data products for research and management.
The goal is to make eDNA a tool that is transparent, comparable, and useful for habitat protection and restoration decisions.
Shinnecock Bay eDNA monitoring
In collaboration with the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program and the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, I use eDNA to study the occurrence and distribution of fishes, rays, sharks, and other marine vertebrates in Shinnecock Bay. This research evaluates how molecular observations can complement conventional monitoring and help document biodiversity in a restored coastal ecosystem.
2024 autonomous eDNA expedition
In September 2024, I participated in a two-week expedition that paired Open Ocean Robotics’ solar-powered, self-righting DataXplorer™ uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) with McLane Research Laboratories’ RoCSI™ autonomous eDNA sampler. Across eight deployments, the system collected and preserved more than 95 eDNA samples from 27 sites, including shallow and sensitive habitats that are difficult to sample with conventional vessels. The expedition also enabled sampling at night and paired molecular observations with measurements from onboard oceanographic sensors.
The project was a collaboration among the Shinnecock Bay Restoration Program, Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, citizens of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, University of Waterloo, Open Ocean Robotics, and McLane Research Laboratories. The research evaluates autonomous eDNA collection as a minimally invasive, zero-emission approach to high-resolution biodiversity monitoring.
- Stony Brook University: launch of the Shinnecock Bay biodiversity survey
- Open Ocean Robotics: expedition methods and results
- Shinnecock Bay Hope Spot expedition photo essay
Microbial ecology and marine biogeochemistry
Oxygen-depleted water columns are hotspots of microbial carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling. My work in the Cariaco Basin and other low-oxygen marine systems has examined how free-living, particle-associated, viral, and eukaryotic communities vary across redox gradients and contribute to elemental cycling.
