Olivia J. Graham, PhD – Google Scholar
My postdoc research focuses on environmental (climate change, heatwaves) and biological (microbiome, herbivores, host genetics) drivers of disease and their impact on the health and resilience of eelgrass, a key foundation species within and beyond the Salish Sea. I leverage fieldwork (low tide, SCUBA, snorkeling) and laboratory approaches (DNA, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, qPCR, microbiology techniques, histology, mesocosm experiments). I also am deeply passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists, science communication, and advocacy. I strongly believe environmental scientists have a commitment to be a voice for the organisms and habitats that do not have one.
Becca Maher, PhD – Google Scholar
I’m fascinated by the diversity and function of microorganisms that live in and on larger organismal hosts. I study how environmental stress can drive changes in the microbiomes associated with hosts like corals and zebrafish, and more recently for my postdoc with seagrasses in the Salish Sea! I use a combination of field surveys, laboratory experiments, and genomics technologies to investigate the role of the microbiome in transmission and initiation of the disease. I also oversee the new state-of-the-art Marine Genomics Center on campus which will give FHL scientists and visitors the opportunity to advance their research with novel molecular and sequencing techniques.
Grace A. Crandall, PhD Student – Google Scholar
My primary focus for my PhD is understanding the immune response of Pycnopodia helianthoides to Sea Star Wasting Disease (SSWD). We have been conducting disease challenge experiments since 2021 with the intention of identifying the etiological agent of SSWD, and characterizing the host immune response. My focus is the latter, with future goals in aiding conservation breeding efforts if genes related to resistance can be identified. Additionally, I have been part of the Eelgrass Wasting Disease team, and have assisted with field work, lab work, and data analyses designed to understand the dynamics between parasite, host, and environment. A passion of mine is to embody as best as I can the concept of One Health.