Student Research
Alexis Hollander
Master's student Alexis Hollander holds a red-tailed hawk.
Alexandria Marquardt
Alexandria Marquardt, VIMS PhD Candidate
Alexis Hollander: Alexis is a master’s student from Portage, Wisconsin in Dr. Roger Mann’s lab. Since entering the master’s program at VIMS, Alexis has gained experience collecting and processing quahog shells for age study. She has also begun imaging and aging surfclam shells as part of her thesis investigating the effects of climate change on surfclam distribution and growth rates.
- Personal Research Page for Alexis Hollander and SCEMFIS Research
- Link to Hollander 2021 AFS Presentation
Alex Marquardt: As an ecologist and second year PhD student in the Fisheries Science Department at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, my work primarily focuses on marine invertebrates and addresses applied questions that help inform management and restoration of harvested species.
At VIMS, my area of study focuses on the biology and population dynamics of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in the Chesapeake Bay. Oysters are incredible organisms since they provide habitat in estuaries by creating three-dimensional reef structures, clean water by filter feeding (50 gallons/per day/oyster), and support an economically important fisheries in Virginia. My field research investigates oyster growth and survival in their first, critical months after settling on the reef. Although the once abundant oyster has significantly declined over the years due to disease, over-harvesting and other ecological challenges, by improving our understanding of early life history, our research will help to inform and guide oyster restoration efforts and management in the Chesapeake Bay.
My long-term career goal is to lead collaborative research projects from diverse perspectives that engage local communities, industry, and natural resource managers and find innovative solutions to the problems our oceans face. Though far from my home in Lynnwood, Washington, VIMS provides a unique opportunity to work with leaders in marine science and gain a suite of new skills that will help me become a more effective marine biologist.