REU Leadership Vignettes

Emma Graves

Emma Graves, Assistant Coordinator

Institution, Major and Hobbies 

I am a Ph.D. student in Biological Oceanography at the College of Marine Science, where I am a member of the Marine Molecular Ecology Lab under the advisement of Dr. Dreux Chappell. I received my Master’s in Ocean and Earth Sciences from Old Dominion University in 2023, and my Bachelor’s in Marine Science and Biology from the University of Tampa in 2020. My hobbies include reading and spending time with my dog, Bean.

Career Interests

My research focuses on phytoplankton community dynamics in the Southern Ocean. I use molecular tools, such as metabarcoding and metatranscriptomics, to explore what kinds of phytoplankton are found in various regions of the Southern Ocean and how they are reacting to stressors in their environments. I'm particularly drawn to questions about how these communities respond to climate change and other anthropogenic stressors, with the broader goal of contributing to more effective ecosystem monitoring and management. Looking ahead, I aspire to a career in academia where I can continue to explore microbial molecular ecology while mentoring and supporting the next generation of marine scientists.