Please check back in the future for undergraduate or internship research opportunities.
Former Undergraduate Mentees
Jonathan Venable, May - August 2023
Jon is currently a 3rd-year Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation major and GIS minor at Jacksonville University. Jon did a REU (Research for Undergraduate) internship at Dauphin Island Sea Lab this past summer. As part of this program, he engaged in undergraduate research with Shayna. His undergraduate research project involved analyzing epiphytic diatom production on the seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) in northern Gulf of Mexico.
Jon presented his research at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium and the 2024 Ocean Sciences meeting. Jon will also be presenting at the 2024 (ASB) Association of Southeastern Biologists conference and the 2024 (NCUR) National Conference on Undergraduate Research.
Jon's REU research was published in Gulf and Caribbean Research and can be found here: link
Jasleen Kahlon, October 2020 - June 2021 Jasleen is currently a 3rd year Environmental Science major and Geography / Environmental Studies minor at UCLA. She is participating in the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Undergraduate Research Scholars Program for the 20-21 academic year.
Jasleen grew up in Ormond Beach, Florida and is passionate about environmental activism. Her interest in research stems from her appreciation of nature and drive to protect and conserve it. In her free time, she enjoys running, yoga, backpacking, rock climbing, and spending time in the ocean.
Nury Molina, January 2018 - June 2019
Nury Molina engaged in undergraduate research with Shayna during her third and fourth years at UCLA. Her undergraduate research projects involved analyzing videos of herbivorous fish consuming macroalgae on fringing reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia. She presented her research at numerous conferences, including the UCLA 2018 and 2019 Undergraduate Research Symposium, the UCLA EEB Department 21st and 22nd Annual Research Symposia in 2018 and 2019, and the Princeton University EEB Scholars Symposium in 2018.
Nury was selected as a CARE Fellow and Scholar while at UCLA. In summer 2017, she participated in The Diversity Project and conducted research on coral reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia. In fall 2017, she received the A.R. Wallace Scholarship for International Field and Marine Research for the UCLA Marine Biology Quarter in Australia and conducted research on stingray feeding behavior on sand flats. Nury graduated from UCLA in 2019 with a degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Conservation Biology. Nury was awarded the NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship in 2019. She is currently a PhD student in Dr. Deron Burkepile’s lab at UC Santa Barbara. For her PhD research she is studying the ecological roles of herbivorous fish species and feedbacks that affect coral-algal phase shifts on coral reefs. She will complement her research on coral reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia with reefs in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.
Kristen Soares, October 2018 - June 2019
Kristen Soares was a Sustainable LA Grand Challenges Scholar as a sophomore during the 2018 – 2019 academic year at UCLA. As part of this program, she engaged in undergraduate research with Shayna. Her undergraduate research project started with analyzing videos of herbivorous fish consuming macroalgae on a fringing reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, she switched projects partway through the year. For her second project she used a coral reef resilience model to explore the impact of anthropogenic chronic stressors on coral reef ecosystems. She presented her research at the UCLA EEB Department 22nd Annual Research Symposia in 2019.
Kristen will graduate from UCLA in 2021 with a degree in Environmental Science and minors in Public Affairs and Environmental Systems and Society. She is currently a Carbon Neutrality Initiative Fellow, and is planning to work in climate justice policy research after graduating.
Jonathan Kim, October 2018 - June 2019
Jonathan Kim engaged in undergraduate research with Shayna during his third year at UCLA. His undergraduate research project started with analyzing videos of herbivorous fish consuming macroalgae on a fringing reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he switched projects partway through the year. For his second project he used a coral reef resilience model to explore the impact of fishing on herbivorous fish communities in coral reef ecosystems. He presented his research at the UCLA EEB Department 22nd Annual Research Symposia in 2019. Jonathan participated in UCLA’s Field Marine Biology Quarter and conducted research on coral reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia in Winter Quarter 2020. Jonathan graduated from UCLA in 2020 with a degree in Marine Biology. He is currently working as an EMT in the greater Los Angeles area while preparing for medical school.
Jason Hibono, July 2017 - March 2019 Jason Hibono engaged in undergraduate research with Shayna during his third and fourth years at UCLA. His undergraduate research project involved analyzing videos of herbivorous fish consuming macroalgae on a fringing reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. He presented his research at the UCLA 2018 Undergraduate Research Symposium and the EEB Department 21st Annual Research Symposium in 2018.
Jason graduated from UCLA in 2019 with a degree in Psychobiology. After graduation, he began his career working in the wine and spirits industry as a Sales Representative for E. & J. Gallo Winery— a top-flight “academy company” where proven management protocols were enforced and required as a measurement of his ultimate success in the company. He is now currently working as an Area Manager at Amazon. In his free time, he enjoys snowboarding, rock climbing, cooking, reading, hiking, podcasting, photography, and going to the gym.
Audrey Salinger, January - June 2018
Audrey Salinger engaged in undergraduate research with Shayna during her fourth year at UCLA. Her undergraduate research project involved analyzing videos of herbivorous fish consuming macroalgae on a fringing reef in Moorea, French Polynesia. She presented her research at the UCLA 2018 Undergraduate Research Symposium and the EEB Department 21st Annual Research Symposium in 2018.
Audrey graduated from UCLA in 2018 with a degree in environmental science and a minor in conservation biology. She is currently completing a master’s degree in arctic marine biology at the University of Tromsø in Norway.