Student Blogs & Vignettes

Macarena Martin Mayor

About my research

Having been a competitive swimmer for as long as I could remember has shaped me into who I am today. I graduated in May with a double major in biochemistry and mathematics from King University, a small institution in Northeast TN. Far away from the seawater my entire life, since I was born and raised in Madrid (Spain), open-water swimming has been my first foray into appreciating the ocean and harboring a desire to understand it. The ocean is freeing; but it has also granted me focus. Earth is around 70% water, and most of that is seawater. The water of the oceans and seas controls much of Earth’s climate and chemistry. Life in our planet is possible thanks to the oceans. The ocean has been the singular mystery that I constantly think about and desire to explore. As a first year student, I am still a bit unsure on what my research will be on, however, my general interests lie on the global ocean acidification problem, and the anthropogenic effects on seawater chemistry, including micro- and macro- plastic pollution and climate change.

Why USF CMS?

While it was hard to decide what institution to attend to pursue a PhD, I chose USF as it felt like they could give me the knowledge and preparation needed to be successful in the field of oceanography. Unlike many, I did not get the chance to visit USFSP due to the COVID pandemic which stopped me from traveling here and touring the facilities. However, I had read and used Dr. Robert Byrne’s papers in the past for my undergraduate projects and his work was a great inspiration for me to pursue my PhD in oceanography. That is why I decided to contact him to thank him for helping me find my path, and to see if he was taking in students. After I got an offer to work with him, I knew it was meant to be. I soon found out the dynamic and methods of his lab were exactly what I was looking for. I am very grateful and excited to have Dr. Byrne as a PI, and mentor. I am invested in getting the best oceanography education I can, and that is why I chose CMS at USFSP. I can not wait to get my hands on the field and start getting into my research.