People

John Kominoski – Associate Professor. I am an ecosystem ecologist and biogeochemist who studies how changes in water chemistry (elevated dissolved nutrients, saltwater intrusion) affect the rates of organic matter processes and the net effects on carbon storage in terrestrial, aquatic, and coastal wetland ecosystems. I am co-PI of the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research Program for which I lead research projects investigating: 1) wet and dry season dynamics on aquatic ecosystem metabolism as driven by water column depth and flocculent organic matter, 2) subsidy-stress effects of saltwater intrusion on wetland soil ecosystems, and 3) long-term interactive effects of storm-induced phosphorus loading and drought on ecosystem productivity and nutrient dynamics spanning freshwater, brackish, and marine wetlands.

Matt Smith – Ph.D. Candidate. Matt is studying the sustainability of urban infrastructure under climate extremes. He is participating in a multi-city collaborative project called the Urban Resilience to Extremes – Sustainability Research Network (UREx-SRN). Matt’s research focuses on urban flooding and urban aquatic ecosystem structure and function. His research occurs in Miami, Florida, Portland, Oregon, and Valdivia, Chile, where he studies variation in (i) N and P uptake capacity in urban wetlands, and (ii) sources of water that contribute to urban flooding. His research integrates social, ecological, and technological (SETS) elements to understand urban and coastal flooding. Curriculum Vitae

Kenny Anderson – Ph.D. Student. Kenny is studying patterns and drivers of particulate and dissolved organic matter and associated microbial structure and function in wetlands. His dissertation focuses on how phosphorus availability differentially influences the lability and processing rates of organic matter in seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, and freshwater marshes in the Florida Everglades. He is also comparing spatiotemporal patterns of water column microbial activities and the characteristics of dissolved organic matter.

Sophia Hoffman – Research Assistant. Sophia is leading the Northeast Shark River Slough project, which is a critical assessment of the Modified Water Deliveries of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Ryan Bremen – Research Assistant. Ryan is working in Everglades mangrove forests to assess recovery from hurricanes.

Diana Rodriguez – Undergraduate Field Assistant

Cristina Whelan, RET, Teacher, Biotech High School, Miami, Florida

Lab Alumni

Postdoctoral Associates

Aingeru Martinez, Ph.D. Former: University of The Basque Country, Bilbao, SpainCurrent: University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Dong Yoon Lee, Ph.D. Current: Scientist, South Florida Water Management District, West Palm Beach, Florida

Mary Zeller, Ph.D. Current: Scientist, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Germany

Andrea Nocentini, Ph.D. Current: Data Scientist, South Florida Natural Resources Center, Everglades National Park, Homestead, Florida

Graduate Students

Sean Charles, Ph.D. Former: Postdoctoral Associate, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. Current: Postdoctoral Associate, East Carolina University, Coastal Studies Institute, Wanchese, North Carolina.

Shelby Servais, Ph.D. Former: National Academies of Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairhope, Alabama. Current: Scientist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Kansas City, Missouri

Research Technicians

Chris Rizzie, B.S. – Northeast Shark River Slough, Everglades Restoration Project. Current: Plant Breeder Specialist, Bayer Marana Greenhouse, Tucson, Arizona.

Mandy Kuhn, B.A. – Texas Mangroves Hurricane Harvey RAPID Project. Current: Ph.D. Environmental Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

Diana Johnson, M.Sc. – Northeast Shark River Slough, Everglades Restoration Project

Shishir Sarker, M.Sc. – Northeast Shark River Slough, Everglades Restoration Project. Current: Ph.D. Geological Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky

Michelle Robinson, M.Sc. – Salinity x Phosphorus Experimental Wetland Mesocosms Project. Current: Biologist, Planning and Environmental Resources, Monroe County, Florida

Michael Kline, M.Sc, – Salinity x Phosphorus Experimental Wetland Mesocosms Project. Current: Environmental Sensor Manager, Baruch Institute, Clemson University, South Carolina

Hanna Campen

Undergraduate Students, High School Students, Volunteers

Barbara Moahamed Current: MSc program at Charite Molecular Medicine Program, Berlin, Germany

Alexis Ramos Former: MSc program, Institute of Plant Breeding, University of Georgia. Current: Laboratory Technician II, Auburn University, Alabama

Julio Pachon (FCE-LTER REU 2013, Society of Wetland Scientists Undergraduate Mentoring Scholarship). Former: 2Seeds Network, Magoma-Kijano, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Current: PhD program, Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida

Kristina Morales (FCE-LTER REU 2015, Society of Wetland Scientists Undergraduate Mentoring Scholarship). Current: MSc program, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Diana Segrera

Daniel Rivera

Andrew Menendez

Andrea Gutierrez (Felix Varela High School 2015)

Emma Singer

Gabrielle Cabral Former: MSc program, University of Miami, Rosenthiel School of Marine Science. Current: Biological Science Technician, Biscayne National Park, Miami, Florida

Venus Garcia

Beatriz Sampaio

Patricia Leroy

Francisca Olmos de Aguilera

Marco Fernandez (FCE-LTER REU 2016, Society of Wetland Scientists Undergraduate Mentoring Scholarship, McNair Foundation Fellowship). Current: Ph.D. Biology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida