Student Blogs & Vignettes

Kennedy Quillen

ABOUT MY RESEARCH

I have always been captivated by the ocean, but growing up in the mountains of West Virginia, I never imagined I could have a career in marine science. I started my B.S. in biochemistry at a small college in northern West Virginia but ultimately transferred institutions to Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina to pursue my true passions. In 2021, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in marine science. I have a broad research background, with experience working with mysid shrimp in the Chesapeake Bay, artificial reefs in South Carolina, and coral reefs in northern Jamaica, though my main interests involve impacts of human activities and climate change on the ecology of coral reefs and reef-associated fishes. At CMS, I will be completing my PhD in Dr. Chris Stallings' Fish Ecology Lab, where I hope to study the relationship between environmental fluctuations and top-down controls in reef environments. 

WHY USF CMS?

While I debated between multiple graduate programs, I ultimately decided to attend the USF College of Marine Science because I felt it would provide me with the most holistic research and education experience. CMS has a close relationship with agencies like NOAA, USGS, the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and the Florida Institute of Oceanography, with ample opportunities for students to become involved. In addition, the curriculum at CMS places high emphasis on fundamental research skills and offers advanced coursework in applied multivariate statistics, marine ecosystem modeling, and data analysis methods. I felt the combination of these unparalleled professional opportunities and vital foundational research courses would best shape me into the scientist I have always wanted to be.