I N V E S T I G A T O R S
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 since 2004.  Her work focuses on the role of species interactions in marine community assembly and ecosystem processes.
​catherine.matassa@uconn.edu
G R A D U A T E   S T U D E N T S *
Sean Ryan
PhD Candidate 
BS - 2018 - Biology - Binghamton University
Sean joined the Matassa Lab from Binghamton University, where he studied the effects of anthropogenic chemicals on aquatic systems. As a graduate student, he is investigating algal-herbivore interactions across environmental gradients,
sean.n.ryan@uconn.edu
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 assessing the climate change vulnerability of Dungeness crab.  Her PhD will focus on the social and ecological vulnerability the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. Halle was a 2021 Knauss Marine Policy Fellow. 
halle.berger@uconn.edu 
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 
LAB  ALUMNI PAGE
All photographs and content copyright Catherine Matassa 2021.