Who We Are

The SRC team includes University of Miami faculty, staff, and students representing a range of disciplines, including biology, ecology, environmental policy, communications, law, and education. SRC’s field research supports data collection for faculty-led projects and the work of our graduate and undergraduate researchers. Student interns are the backbone of the SRC program and play an essential role in carrying out our research, education, and outreach activities.

Faculty and Staff

Our Director: Catherine Macdonald, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Liza Merly, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Julia Wester, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer

Christian Pankow, Assistant Director

Jake Jerome, Intern Coordinator & Lecturer

Katie Miller, Logistics Coordinator

Nola Schoder, Media Manager, Photography Lead

Emma DeLillo, Research Assistant

Ph.D. Students

Emma Kropke, Ph.D. Student, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy

Christine Martin, Ph.D. Student, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy

Amanda O’Brien, Ph.D. Student, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy

Candy Real, Ph.D. Student, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy

Delaney Reynolds, Joint Ph.D./J.D. Student, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy

Julia Saltzman, Ph.D. Student,  Department of Biology (co-supervised with Searcy Lab)

Emily Yeager, Ph.D. Candidate, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, Undergraduate Intern Coordinator

Affiliated Ph.D. Students

Karizma Acosta, Ph.D. Student, Sikkel Lab, Department of Marine Biology and Ecology

Hannah Aycock, Ph.D. Candidate, Babcock Lab, Department of Marine Biology and Ecology

Ara Jimenez, Ph.D. Student, Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy

Masters Students

Nicki Adle, M.S. (co-supervised with Babcock Lab)
Max Ajemian, M.P.S.
Kim Heely, M.P.S.
Margaret “Maggie” Hunt, M.P.S.
Becca Jones, M.S. (co-supervised with Babcock Lab)
Caitlin Coyle, M.P.S.
Kathleen “Katie” Davis, M.P.S.
Jeynaliz Gonzalez Ortiz, M.P.S.
Wendy Miyazaki, M.S.
Jackson “Jack” O’Donnell, M.P.S.
Elise Rivera, M.S.
Athena Santomero, M.P.S.
Sophia Santomero, M.P.S.
Brian Schlernitzauer, M.P.S.

Undergraduate Interns

Maia Bond
Brynne Casto (Creative Intern)
Ciara Hughes
Gabriela Martinez
Alexandra Morgan (Creative Intern)
Brian Mulvey (Creative Intern)
Jack Peiser
Anjali Shah
Oscar Stachelberg (Creative Intern)
Chase Tovornik
Elizabeth Yera

SRC–Macdonald Lab Alumni (2023–Present)

PhD 

Dr. John Hlavin (PhD – ’26)

• Current Assistant Professor at Eckerd College (Website)

Masters 

Katherine Polatchek (MPS)
Amber Ringle (MPS)
Kim Heely (MPS)
James Tuttlebee (MPS)
Haley Aker (MPS)
Gavin Gusler (MPS)
Katie Miller (MS)
Maeve Hunt (MPS)
Jenny Norcross (MS)
Dale Kline (MS)
Ianna Gilbert (MPS)
Chris Will (MS)
Noah Sonnenberg (MS)
Jim Secour (MPS)
Ina Franke (MPS)
Anabella Madrid (MPS)
Miranda Fincher (MPS)
Veronica Lopez (MS)
Madeline Schmidbauer (MPS)
Marissa Maldonado (MPS)
Sara Morales (MPS)
Jack Rucker (MPS)
Maddie Davis (MPS)
Kylie Powers (MS)
Nicole Bozkurt (MPS)
Nathan Lam (MPS)
Max Vohl (MPS)
Maddie Quirk-Shattuck (MPS)
Hampton Hotard (MPS)
Clara Sarantopoulos (MPS)
Raquel Braun (MPS)
Kathy Liu (MS)
Emily Graf (MPS)

Undergraduate 

Sarah Faestel (Creative Intern – ’26)
Miles Lubas (Creative Intern – ’26) *
Brian Jamison (Research Intern – ’26)
Gavin Doak (Research Intern – ’26)
Hanna Lewis (Research Intern – ’26)
Ali Donnelly (Research Intern – ’26)
Tyler Mace (Research Intern – ’26)
Regina Aragon (Research Intern – ’26) *
Claudia Campi (Creative Intern – ’25)
J’nesse Balkman (Research Intern – ’25)
Morgan Scola (Research Intern – ’25)
KT Palmer (Research Intern – ’25)
Khrista Nicholas (Research Intern – ’25)
Katie Pavlik (Research Intern – ’25)
Bella Pitarresi (Creative Intern – ’25)
Ryan McMullen (Research Intern – ’25) *
Jason Hill (Creative Intern – ’25)
Jolena Cordasco (Research Intern – ’24)
Katherine Wilson (Research Intern – ’24)
Francesca DiMisa (Research Intern – ’24)
Max Graivier (Creative Intern – ’24)

*denotes completion of Senior Thesis with SRC

Affiliated Student Alumni 

Dr. Amani Webber-Schultz (PhD, New Jersey Institute of Technology)
Hunter Hogan (MS, Acadia University)