Student Blogs & Vignettes
Alexis Mitchem
Alexis Mitchem, USF CMS Student
ABOUT MY RESEARCH
Growing up on the Florida coast, I was an avid boater and beachgoer. In fact, most of my earliest memories involve reading and learning about the marine fishes and mammals of the Gulf. I graduated in May of 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of West Florida. As an undergraduate research assistant in a marine molecular ecology lab, I learned skills that will be useful in my PhD research in the lab of Dr. Mya Breitbart. My current research involves applying molecular tools, such as DNA barcoding, to collect fish eggs from various environments, seasons, and locations to identify crucial areas that are being utilized by economically important fish species. I intend to further identify how environmental parameters such as tides and weather patterns affect the distribution range of these fish eggs and to what extent.
WHY USF CMS?
When I was searching for graduate schools, I was determined to find a perfect fit in my home state of Florida. I initially chose the USF College of Marine Science because of the aligning research interests between Dr. Breitbart and me. After visiting St. Petersburg, the local atmosphere and the students at CMS made me feel at home, and choosing USF was one of the easiest decisions I’ve made in my academic career so far.