51С»Æ³µ

Four UNE students recently attended the 51С»Æ³µ Estuarine Research Society (NEERS) meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where they presented their research.

All four students received awards. Two of them, Tessa Dowling, a student in the Master of Biological Sciences program, and Michaela Kenward (Marine Biology, ’18), captured top honors.

Dowling won the Ketchum Award for Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation for her research on how well salt marsh grasses grow when subjected to the upland forest soil they might encounter when migrating inland due to accelerated sea level rise. She conducted an experiment on-campus which allowed her to control and manipulate environmental conditions, and completed field surveys of natural marshes.

Kenward won the Warren Award for best undergraduate poster presentation for her investigation of the prevalence and potential causes of sea star wasting disease in the Gulf of Maine. She conducted her resarch through a monthly sea star monitoring program and by performing histology and molecular techniques. 

Dowling and Kenward also won Travel Awards, along with Mary Hollandbeck (Marine Biology, ’18) and Katherine Parker (Marine Biology, ’18). The Travel Awards recognize a students' work, while also awarding them financially to help offset the costs of attending the conference.

NEERS is a non-profit organization that brings together persons actively engaged in estuarine research and management to exchange ideas. Members come from scientific and educational institutions, federal, state and municipal agencies; and nonprofit organizations.

NEERS supports today's students in many ways, recognizing that they are tomorrow's estuarine scientists and managers.

Students attending the annual meeting get exposure for their work and leads on possible career advancement.

To learn more about the University of 51С»Æ³µ's Department of Biology visit

To learn more about the University of 51С»Æ³µâ€™s Department of Marine Sciences visit

To apply, visit