W&M’s Batten School & VIMS celebrate 2025 graduates poised to drive change
William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS held their annual graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 17. The event celebrated 27 students earning their M.S., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, representing significant expertise in a variety of sub-disciplines.
This year’s graduates face a shifting landscape in terms of federal funding for science, but that does not make their skills less needed in our rapidly changing world. This point was emphasized by those who spoke at the morning’s graduation ceremony.
“We came to the Batten School & VIMS because we wanted to make an impact beyond a citation count. VIMS’ graduate students are committed to making our school, our coastline and our fields better places,” said Grace Molino, who graduated with her Ph.D. after making significant contributions to understanding the conversion of coastal forests to marshland in response to sea level rise. “The collective work of our graduates spans the entire Atlantic Coast to the Gulf Coast, Pacific Coast, Alaska and internationally. It is abundantly clear from conversations with any of the students in this room that the work we do is not only necessary but extremely important.”
This sentiment was echoed by Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences Dean and Virginia Institute of Marine Science Director Derek Aday. “You are part of a collective that is ultimately doing good work on behalf of 100-plus million Americans and billions of people worldwide that need your science and our collective solutions,” he said.
Everyone present at the ceremony and the following reception expressed their heartfelt congratulations to a truly impressive class, who combined for a total of 57 peer-reviewed publications and won a variety of impressive internal and external awards while contributing to many important research and advisory projects.
From ensuring sustainable fisheries that provide food and jobs for future generations to informing policy and developing solutions for global challenges, graduates of the Batten School enter the world equipped with the knowledge and skills to make a difference. Here are just a few of their stories:
Daniel Royster: A policy framework for bringing American Shad back to the James River
Daniel Royster M.A. ’25 combined his fisheries background with policy analysis to study how surface water withdrawals impact the recovery of American Shad in the James River, which led to numerous recommendations for restoring the species. His experience combined with opportunities he pursued along the way led him to a role at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, where he will continue to bridge science and policy in support of valuable ecosystems.
Evan Flynn: Navigating muddy waters and global carbon cycles
Evan Flynn Ph.D. ’25 uncovered surprising insights into carbon storage in large, dynamic river delta systems, challenging long-held theories about coastal carbon loss. Her work, which spans the Ayeyarwady and Amazon deltas, has helped refine global carbon budget estimates and informed strategies for managing sediment in the face of global change. Now, Flynn is shifting toward applied work that supports coastal resilience and restoration.
Nihal Guennouni: Cannibal crabs rewrite ecosystem dynamics
Nihal Guennouni M.S. ’25 gained valuable experience in applied research during her time at the Batten School & VIMS. Focusing on blue crab disease dynamics as part of a larger National Science Foundation-funded project, her work overturned scientific assumptions and informed a unique lesson plan to engage middle school students. Guennouni will now apply her knowledge in a new role with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Congratulations to these and all the 2025 graduates of W&M’s Batten School & VIMS! We look forward to welcoming our first class of undergraduates majoring in coastal & marine sciences this fall.