Grad Student Tominack Answers “What is Normal?” for Gulf’s Smallest Organisms
To show how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacted the Gulf of Mexico, Sarah Tominack is going back to basics.
Read more
The GoMRI Scholars Program recognizes outstanding graduate students and the vital research they contribute to improve understanding about the damage, response, and recovery following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Scholars Program honors and builds community for these next generation of ocean science professionals.
These students serve as essential team members for much of the research underway and bring creativity, curiosity, and energy to the GoMRI scientific program. They represent the successful manifestation of the second GoMRI Legacy Goals, building scientific and intellectual capacity for response and mitigation strategies for future oil spill events.
Candidates for this program must be graduate students who have participated in a GoMRI-funded project for at least one year, whose work is primarily funded by GoMRI, and who are working on a dissertation or thesis based on GoMRI-funded science. On a semi-annual basis, the lead Principal Investigators of GoMRI-funded projects nominate students who meet these criteria.
Following confirmation, each scholar will receive a letter of congratulations declaring the title GoMRI Scholar along with a certificate from Dr. Rita Colwell, GoMRI Research Board Chair. GoMRI will collect information about these scholars and their careers and accomplishments for longitudinal studies and program impacts.
Below are GoMRI Scholars Highlight Stories that have been featured on the web site. For a complete list of scholars, click on the ‘People’ tab for any funded projects to view the list of GoMRI Scholars with affiliation for that project.
Grad Student Dannenberg is Unlocking Mysteries of Deepwater Coral Communities
Deep below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico live vast canyons of coral. Recent news reports suggest that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill may have impacted the health of these corals.
Grad Student Chen Knows Ants Are More Than Just Bugs – They’re Oil Detectors!
Can watching ants really contribute to understanding an oil spill? Yes, it can! Ants have acted as indicators of environmental change in the past.
Grad Student Li Creates Waves for Oil Dispersion Studies
For Cheng Li, the beauty of our oceans is precious. He wants to protect that beauty by improving the tracking of and response to oil spills.
Grad Student Laxague is Making Waves Using Sea-surface Ripples to Detect Oil
Nathan Laxague studies a small-scale subject matter that has potentially large-scale applications. Capillary waves – or ripples – on the ocean surface can indicate the presence of a film or oil slick on the water’s surface, making them “an important link in the chain of oil spill response.”
Grad Student Christiansen’s Preemptive Research Enhances Galveston Bay Spill Response
David Christiansen is dedicated to investigating water movement and using those findings to improve local water systems.
Grad Student Vozzo Assesses Oil Impacts on Louisiana Oysters
Maria Vozzo’s strong interest in Deepwater Horizon research led her from North Carolina to Louisiana to study the oil’s effects on local oysters.
Grad Student Saha Makes Strides towards an Eco-friendly Dispersant Alternative
Amitesh Saha is on a mission to find safer alternatives to dispersants currently being used in oil spill cleanup.
Grad Student Worthen Improves Oil Production and Cleanup Using Nanoparticles
Andrew Worthen’s research is “all about discovering how we can steward the planet more responsibly,” something he gets closer to every day. While Andrew’s initial nanoparticle research focused on creating more efficient and eco-friendly oil extraction methods, he is now applying his findings to oil spill treatment and mitigation.
Grad Student Harper Seeks to Improve Marine and Human Health with Science-Informed Policy
Alexandra Harper, a passionate environmental advocate, is using her oceanography expertise to help “society better balance human need with ecological health.”