Raven Bier, PI Assistant Research Scientist Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia Graduate and Courtesy Faculty at Odum School of Ecology Adjunct Research Scientist at Stroud Water Research Center
Contact Information: P.O. Drawer E Aiken, SC 29802 rbier[at]srel.uga.edu
Graduate Students and Technicians Emma Kelsick, Ph.D. in Ecology Emma is a Ph.D. in Ecology student co-advised by Dr. Raven Bier and Dr. Stacey Lance at the Odum School of Ecology and is interested in the influence of land management practices on terrestrial and aquatic microbial structures and nutrient processing. Before joining the lab, she completed a B.A. in Biology from Bard College, where she investigated the effect of species-specific soil feedback on grassland seed germination. She has worked as an Animal Care Technician and served two AmeriCorps terms: 1) Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, where she conducted a visitor use survey to provide feedback for the primitive park management plan, and 2) Sun River Watershed Group, where she worked on watershed restoration projects, field collections, and monitoring as well as community outreach and education initiatives.
Viviana Bravo Ortiz, M.S. in Conservation Ecology & Sustainable Development Viviana Bravo Ortiz is an environmental engineer graduated from The National Polytechnic School (EPN, Ecuador) in 2020. At UGA she is co-advised by Dr. Krista Capps. In 2017, she participated in the FONAG’s conservation and monitoring program of paramos, high-Andean forests and wetlands to protect the watersheds that generate water for the Metropolitan District of Quito. In 2019, she developed a hydrological model to simulate water availability in basins that supply water to Quito (DMQ). This project was funded by the Water and Paramo Scientific Station Scholarship Program and developed through collaboration with The Quito´s Public metropolitan drinking water and sanitation company (EPMAPS), and the Water Protection Fund (FONAG). At UGA she will assess aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure and biodiversity in Savannah River tributaries. She plans to continue learning about the conservation of freshwater ecosystems, macroinvertebrates and how changes in land use and development influence water quality.
Fabiola López Ávila, M.S. in Conservation Ecology & Sustainable Development Fabiola graduated from Dalton State College in 2019, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology. At the University of Georgia, she will be co-advised by Dr. Krista Capps. In the summer of 2019, Fabiola became a Jim Hill Diversity Fellow at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI) where she helped care for endangered fish species such as Southern Appalachian Brook Trout, Lake Sturgeon, and Laurel Dace. Fabiola then became a research technician at TNACI for a year and a half, where she analyzed historical and contemporary levels of microplastics in freshwater fish species from the Royal D. Sutkuss fish collection from Tulane University. As a research technician, Fabiola worked on the method development of fish gut digestion. Fabiola plans to continue expanding her understanding of microplastics as she will be analyzing how microplastics affect microbial communities.
Marilee Hoyle Marilee graduated from Oregon State University in 2020 where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. She completed an undergraduate thesis examining the Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic diversity of the Oregon Willamette River basins. Marilee also worked as a molecular biologist doing genetic studies on C. elegans, and Zebrafish for clinical research. Her research interests include genetics, microbiological aquatic communities, and their interactions to human derived ecosystem changes . At the University of Georgia, she is an M.S. in Ecology student at the Odum School of Ecology. Her thesis work will be at the Savannah River Ecology Lab where she will examine micro/macro nutrient-metal interactions of biofilms of constructed and natural wetlands.
Lab Alumni Destiny Willard, Research assistant, 2023, B.S. in Ecology, University of Georgia Gilberto Lajara, Undergraduate Research Program NSURP, summer 2023, The College of Wooster, Biochemistry Major McKenzie Cromer, Research assistant, 2022-2023, B.S. in Biology, concentration in environmental restoration and remediation, University of South Carolina Aiken Elyna Grapstein, student researcher, Fall 2021, M.S. in Landscape Architecture, University of Georgia Jon Kindell Undergraduate Research Program NSURP, summer 2020, College of Charleston, Biology Major, Psychology Minor