Alyssa Novak

Ms. Novak is pursuing her doctorate in Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science – Oceanography at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire.  Ms. Novak plans to study the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on seagrasses.  She first became interested in this topic after a visit to Summerland Key, Florida where she found patches of purple-colored Thalassia testudium and Halodule wrightii in both shallow non-turbid waters and intertidal zones.  Ms. Novak believes her research with UVR and seagrass will contribute not only to SeagrassNet, but also to the body of science studying global climate change. Ms. Novak has been involved in scientific research in both undergraduate and graduate school.  She believes that her research will provide her the foundation needed in the future to obtain a research scientist position in academia or a government agency.

Mariah Meek

Mariah Meek

Ms. Meek is currently pursuing her doctorate in Marine Ecology at the University of California at Davis, Davis, California.  Ms Meek believes that science can and must play an integral role in informing policy decisions to improve the management of our country’s resources.  Her goal is to increase the understanding of population ecology of marine species so that well informed management decisions can be made.  Ms. Meek’s previous research experience has provided her with a solid foundation in the scientific process as well as an understanding of the relationship between science and policy.  She believes that her thesis research will further support her goals.  Ms. Meek’s thesis research is an investigation of the invasion biology of three species of invasive hydromedusae in San Francisco Estuary (Maoetias marginata, Blackfordia  virginica, and Moerisia sp.).  In her research, she will investigate the effect these species are having on the native trophic food web, as well as the geographic pathway of invasion.  Ms. Meek endeavors to become a leader in marine ecology and to work as faculty at a research university.