Student Blogs & Vignettes

Alexandra Lee

ABOUT MY RESEARCH

I am a master’s student in the lab of Dr. Steve Murawski. My research interests include marine preservation, conservation, and reducing the impact of human activity and climate change on marine ecosystems. I will be looking at chemical pollutants that are harmful to both marine life and human health in Tampa Bay. Our goal is to determine the severity of these chemicals and inform the communities surrounding Tampa Bay of next steps and solutions.

WHY USF CMS?

I grew up in Minnesota where I was surrounded by lakes — about 10,000 of them! Very early on I developed an interest in their ecological side as well as a love for spending all my time there. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth where I further grew this interest into an understanding of marine inner workings and a passion for protecting them. I wanted to continue to grow my knowledge of everything marine by attending a college that is very passionate about protecting marine ecosystems, student success, and developing research that informs while also providing solutions. I fell in love with USF CMS because of the amazing community of students and staff, the research opportunities, as well as the city of St. Pete.