Honors Student Participates in Graduate Research

Farquhar Honors College sophomore Corinne Renshaw is participating in graduate-level research as an undergraduate student. The research is part of graduate student Alexander Rayburn’s master’s thesis, which focuses on marine parasitology among large deep-water fishes.

Renshaw’s role includes dissecting the fish, identifying the marine parasites, and classifying them via genetic analysis.

“My favorite part of the project is using a microscope to classify new parasites,” said Renshaw, a marine biology and environmental science major. “I was always fascinated with larger megafauna, but after working on this research, the more minute aspects of marine life are fascinating.”

Renshaw received this research opportunity through David Kerstetter, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, who offered her the position after she took his honors Invasive Species Ecology and Management course.

“Corinne showed lots of motivation and participation in class and dedication to a volunteering opportunity when offered,” said Kerstetter. “[She] has already gained a better understanding of how an active research lab works—the coordination between lab members regarding space and scheduling, the amount of work that goes on in actual wildlife research, and some of the process involved from collecting specimens in the wild through the peer-reviewed publication of the results.”

Along with aiding in research, she serves as the community service chair of Epsilon Eta, NSU’s environmental honors society. She has worked on wildflower garden restoration and invasive species clean-up initiatives through this organization. After graduating, Renshaw hopes to pursue a master’s and doctoral degree in marine ecology to gain more research opportunities in coastal conservation.

Posted 02/19/23