THE MATASSA LAB @ AVERY POINT
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​​p e o p l e

R E S E A R C H   S T A F F

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Catherine Matassa, PhD
Principle Investigator

PhD - 2014 -Ecology, Evolution, & Marine Biology  (+Three Seas Program / EW XXI) - ​Northeastern University
BSA - 2004 - Architecture and Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University

Catherine has been studying the marine communities along New England's coastlines for more than 15 years.  Her work focuses on the role of species interactions in marine community assembly and ecosystem processes.
​catherine.matassa@uconn.edu
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Samantha Linhardt
Research Technician
MS - 2022 - Oceanography - UConn
BS - 
2016 - Biological Sciences (Marine Biology) - University of California, Davis
Samantha recently completed her MS in the Matassa Lab investigating species interactions and successional patterns on rocky shores. As a technician, she now assists with field operations and logistics, data analysis, and manuscript preparation.
samantha.linhardt@uconn.edu 
G R A D U A T E   S T U D E N T S *

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Sean Ryan
PhD Student 

BS - 2018 - Biology - Binghamton University
Sean joins the Matassa Lab from Binghamton University, where he studied the effects of anthropogenic chemicals on aquatic systems. As a graduate student, he is interested in understanding the interactions of multiple stressors and their impact on coastal marine communities.
sean.n.ryan@uconn.edu

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Halle Berger
PhD Student ​
MS - 2020 - Oceanography - UConn;
​​BS - 
2018 - Marine Biology - Northeastern University
Halle is co-advised by Prof. Samantha Siedlecki and recently completed her MS thesis, which assessed the climate change vulnerability of Dungeness crabs using empirical and modeling approaches.  Her PhD will focus on the social and ecological vulnerability the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. Halle is a 2021 Knauss Marine Policy Fellow. 
halle.berger@uconn.edu 

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Riley Pena
PhD Student ​
MA - 2020 - Biology (Ecology & Evolution) - Stony Brook University 
BS - 2019 - Marine Biology, Ecosystems & Human Impact - Stony Brook University

Riley joins us from Stony Brook, where he completed his Masters' studying the cost of sexually selected traits and thermal stress in fiddler crabs. For his PhD, Riley is interested in examining the impacts of climate change on benthic communities.
riley.pena@uconn.edu 

*The lab is currently full and does not anticipate having open positions for new graduate students in Fall 2023.
U N D E R G R A D U A T ES 

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Alison Gause
Undergraduate Research Assistant
.BS Biological Science, Marine Science Minor, University of Connecticut
Alison is investigating algal-herbivore interactions.  Her interests are in marine biology, ecology, botany, and herpetology.

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Sophie Burchell
NSF REU Undergraduate Researcher - Summer 2022
.BS (expected 2023), Bowdoin College
Sophie grew up moving around the East coast, which inspired her interest in coastal ecology. At Bowdoin College she studies Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology as well as Environmental Studies, and continues to become more familiar with the rocky intertidal zone
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All photographs and content copyright Catherine Matassa 2021.
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