Mentors
Jon Lewis is a professor of Earth Science at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He does research on mountain building processes, mostly in Taiwan, with help from his undergraduate-only environmental geoscience majors. Jon is also one of the founding PIs for the STEM Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) project. The project was inspired when Jon and co-founding PI Sharon Cooper were in Curacao with the JOIDES/Resolution drillship for the 2012 offering of the International Ocean Discovery Program’s School of Rock. Jon and Sharon set about finding ways for undergraduates to experience the unique power of being at sea on a charismatic research vessel. That chapter in Jon’s career was made possible a few years prior, in 2007 when he sailed as a structural geologist on the drillship Chikyu during IODP Expedition 315. On that expedition Jon focused on using core-scale structures to reconstruct the deformation history at the Nankai Trough, a subduction zone capable of producing great earthquakes.
Michael Toomey is a research geologist at the US Geologic Survey in Reston, Virginia. His work focuses on reconstructing the frequency of past storm and flood hazards using geologic proxy records. The focus of this cruise will be on collecting sediment cores from the continental shelf of the United States and Chesapeake Bay to better understand the interaction of storm climate with the Gulf Stream.
Mariam Naseem is a PhD student in the Department of Geology at the University of Maryland College Park. She also holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering and an MBA. Mariam’s research investigates geological processes on icy ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus through terrestrial analogs in polar environments on Earth. This will be Mariam’s first time sailing and serving as a mentor on STEMSEAS. She is excited to share the wonders of planetary science and astrobiology with students in the program.
Shondricka Burrell PhD is an Assistant Professor at Morgan State University, School of Education and Urban Studies, and is an Earth science/geoscience educator and education researcher. With advanced degrees in geology and education, Dr. Burrell’s research focus is transdisciplinary and includes: the design and implementation of transformative learning experiences, science interest development, self-efficacy, Earth science and geoscience education, environmental justice, and science for social justice. Specifically, she is interested in how local cases of environmental injustice can be used to teach both science content and scientific practices towards environmental equity in secondary science classrooms. Shondricka joined the STEMSEAS project team in 2022 and sailed on the AR-71 STEMSEAS-HBCU partnership expedition in January 2023. She was particularly drawn to STEMSEAS because of the commitment to providing science experiences for students that are generative and potentially transformative. And she is excited to serve as PI of the education research component of STEMSEAS; to work alongside amazing colleagues and to learn with and from the undergraduate students and faculty mentors who participate in the STEMSEAS expeditions.
Students
Hi, my name is Anna Tyler and I’m a senior Environmental Studies major with a marine science minor, at Salisbury University. I am from East New Market, Maryland located in Dorchester County or the “Heart of the Chesapeake.” For fun, I enjoy fishing, nature photography, and hammocking. Through a summer course offered at SU, I have kayaked and camped along miles of the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia barrier islands. From this experience, I hope to have a clear image of the future careers I would like to pursue and the confidence to pursue them.
My name is Francisco Benavides, I am wrapping up my final semester at the Community College of Baltimore County before I transfer to UMBC where I will be finishing a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in Photography. My particular interest lies in photojournalism, documentary work, and their intersection with science communication. As we continue to live with the consequences of a changing climate I think visual storytelling will play a crucial role in informing a broad public not only about the challenges we face but about the amazing work people are doing in the face of those challenges. My dream project would be to document sanitation workers around the country, they are truly essential to our existence as we know it and yet their work is largely invisible. In my free time I like to be in the darkroom doing analog photography, and woodworking with hand tools. When I have time I am also a playwright/actor who has had two plays produced locally.
My name is Paul Haddad and I am a senior at Salisbury University studying Earth Science. I was born is Silver Spring, Maryland and have been in Ocean City, Maryland eversince I was 3 months old. My hobbies are Movies, T.V Shows, Video Games, Being Outdoors with my dogs, and working on my car. I love going in the Ocean, Camping, and going to sports games. My career interests are Land,Ocean and Animal Conversation, Ocean Exploration, Ocean Energy, and Deep-Sea Mining.
My name is Hannah Harrison and I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. From a young age I have been excited and fascinated by science and learning about the world around me. I am currently attending Salisbury University in Maryland and study Marine Geoscience, while minoring in GIS. My interests are in finding sustainable solutions to complex problems in the marine environment due to a changing climate. I am eager to learn and expand my knowledge of the challenges this field presents.
Hi, my name is Ixtle Montuffar. I am from Maryland and am in my second year as an undergraduate student at Princeton University pursuing a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a desire to work in the realm of Indigenous ethnobotany. I love to play the violin and am currently in the mariachi band on campus and I also love reading and spending time outside. I am super excited to expand my interests within geosciences and marine sciences, especially considering this trip is in the Chesapeake Bay near my home. I also look forward to meeting new people and being able to learn from one another.
Hi there! My name is Kaila Rae Perlas and I am currently in my second year at Fullerton Community College in California. I am a Biology major and currently working on transferring this Fall to a four-year university concentrating in Marine and Environmental Sciences. On campus I have the position of project manager in the newly formed Biology Club and hope to incorporate what I learn in this opportunity with others. I have also previously interned at Orange County Coastkeeper, with the role of an educational illustrator and researcher focusing on our local watersheds. A fun fact about me is I used to be a Film major. While I do spend less time now in the realm of digital art and cinematography, I cannot wait to capture the memories I will make in the East coast on my first expedition with STEMSEAS. I am looking forward to partaking in this hands-on and shared experience.
Hey, I am Kamya Malhotra, a sophomore at Seattle Central College and am originally from Mumbai, India. I am part of SCC’s accelerated program, in which I get to skip two years of high school and go directly to college. I plan to transfer to a four year university in the fall of 2025. I am interested in biochemical research and have interned at a clinical pathology lab and I am currently interning at a neurodevelopment lab at the University of Washington. I want to explore as many areas of research as I can during my undergrad, so that I am able to figure out areas of interests for grad school. In classic pacific northwest fashion, I love hiking and have a decent green thumb. I also do film photography and develop my own pictures! I am incredibly excited about this opportunity aboard a research vessel as it is unlike anything I have ever done before. I hope to be able to make the most of this program by interacting with all the mentors and learning about their areas of study.
Hello! My name is Tayler Blee and I am a senior at California State University, Stanislaus where I am earning a B.S. in Biology. I got my start at Modesto Junior College and now I aspire to work within a natural history museum someday. I love all things related to entomology, science communication, and the preservation of natural history collections. I am proud to be part of a curatorial team of students organized by Dr. Jeanette Pirlo, whom I have to thank for introducing me to STEM SEAS. I am super excited to attend the Chesapeake Bay expedition and to learn about geoscience careers and research topics! Outside of academia I enjoy hiking, knitting, singing, and playing Pokémon!
