Current Marjot Scholars

Fall 2023

Gayatri Chaturvedi
Falmouth, MA
Investigating the Impact of Ocean Acidification on Seaweed Growth and Physiology

Amelia Di Cosomo
Scituate, MA
The Upland Migration of the Kent Street Marsh

Spring 2023

Yvangi Jacques
Brockton, MA
Evaluating the Effect of Sound on the Abundance of Pollinator Insects

Read the final report here.

Paul Sliker
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
Utilization of Biochar to Accelerate Aerobic Decomposition and Increase Compost Quality in the Presence of Plastic and Microplastic Pollutants

Read the final report here and view the poster.

Past Marjot Scholars

2022-2023

Max Fernald, Owen Gurtz, Isaiah Murray and Finn Yemini
Cohasset, MA
Seagrass Wasting Disease's Effects on Eelgrass under Environmental Stressors

Derek Desrosiers and Aanshi Agrawal
North Attleboro, MA
The Solution is Less Pollution. A Study of how Plants and Mussels can Reduce the Pollution in Ten Mile River and Bungay Lake

Claire Kho, Isis Rodriguez and Aabi Whyte-Spence
Bronx, NY
Forest Adaptation to Drought Stress: Validation of Key Candidate Genes using the Model Species Arabidopsis thaliana

Gus Renzin
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
Capturing Compost Heat and Carbon Dioxide for Use in Agricultural Intensification

2021-2022

Aksel Jensen
Falmouth, MA
Toxicity of Road Runoff Entering the Waquoit Bay Estuarine System

Read the final report here.

Lucille McWilliams
Pawling, NY
Cold Stunned Sea Turtle Diet Analysis in Cape Cod Bay from 2015-2020

Read the final report here.

Christian Nichols
Brockton, MA
Creating a More Efficient Method to Locate Malaclemys terrapins and their Nests Utilizing Machine Learning and Drone Technology

Lucia Wondal
Rochester, NH
Willow Brook Chloride Study

2020-2021

Lucy Clay and Andrew Hoadley
Cohasset, MA
The Correlation Between Eelgrass Health and Sediment Type In Cohasset Harbor

Read the final report here.

Cayla Ossen
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
Clarifying bobcat (Lynx rufus) Distribution in Westchester (NY) and Fairfield (CT) Counties: A Comprehensive Compilation of Existing Data and a Targeted Non-Invasive Camera-Trap Search in a Distribution Void

Read her final report here or take a look at her poster.

Elias Waisburd
Brookline, MA
The Buzz About Plant Stimulating Sound Frequencies is Electric


2019-2020

Christopher Brahan
North Sutton, NH
Effect of Various Substrate Types on the Effectiveness of Milfoil Establishment
Awards: 1st place, Environmental Science at New Hampshire State Science Fair and ONR Research Award


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Jacob Katz, Obioha Chijioke and Knut Vanderbush
Bronx, NY
Epigenetic Adaptation in Picea Spruce

Read their final report here or view their poster.

Chris Pare and Mercede Mcintyre
Belmont, NH
The Effects of Road Salt on Forest and Lotic Ecosystems

Read the final report here.

Emily Pike
Bourne, MA
Power Plant - Altering Soil Bacteria to Maximize Photo-Voltaic Energy Production
Awards: 1st Place, Bourne High School Science Fair and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Award. Due to COVID-19 closures, Emily was not able to attend a state science fair


2018-2019

Elizabeth Amelotte and Carly Stange
East Greenwich, RI
Effects of a Sewerage Treatment Plant on Greenwich Cove

David Dayan and Christian Healy
Hastings on Hudson, NY
Potential Nursery Area for the White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in Eastern Long Island, New York using Advanced Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) 

Francesca DiMare
Brockton, MA
DNA Barcoding Approach to Ascertain Foraging Patterns of Local Native Bees
Awards: 2nd at Massachusetts State Science Fair and 2nd at the Southern New England JSHS

Read Francesa’s final report here.

David Hutcherson Dorchester, MA Monitoring Stream Bacteria Levels in the Lower Neponset River.

Emma Keeler Falmouth, MA Bioprospecting for Benthic Fungi and their Bactericidal Antibiotics
Awards: 1st place, Moderna Therapeutics Award and Cabot Corporation Award at Massachusetts State Science Fair

Read Emma’s final report here


2017-2018

Grace Ramsey Scott, Dominique Harris, and Lev Simon
East Greenwich, RI
The Effects of Dairy Farming and Eutrophication on Water Quality and Ephemera gutulatta

Curtis Fisher
Vineyard, MA
Community Connection: Creating Cost-Efficient, Real-Time, Environmental Data Collection Systems

Maya Foxman
Hastings on Hudson, NY
Comparing the Efficacy of Chlorella, Scenedesmus Obliquus, and Chlamydomonas Biofilms on Water Quality

Kari Brabander and Jackie Gong
Newton, MA
Greater Boston Area Community Gardens: Helping Sustainable Urban Agriculture Minimize Resuspended Respirable Soil Particles

Anushka Ray
Nashua, NH
A Faster Approach to Detecting Fecal Indicators in the Water Using Nanomaterials and Machine Learning


2016-2017

Margaret Slein
Scituate, MA
The Population Density and Genetic Variation of the Invasive Asian Shore Crab

Charles Xu
Falmouth, MA
What is the Response of Coccolithophores to Changing Atmospheric Levels of CO2?

Kierra McCarthy
Hudson Falls, NY
The Gradient Effect of Perfluorooctanoic Acid on Elliptio complanata

Ryan Taggard
Brattleboro, VT
Sugar Maple Sapling Growth and the Soil pH in Windham County

Ben Wan
Hasting on Hudson, NY
The Design of a Combined Water Purification Apparatus and Small Scale Electrical Generator


2015-2016

Yury Namgung
Concord, MA
The Impact of Imidacloprid and Glycophospahte of Peurotus ostreatus

Sam Cox
Falmouth, MA
Feeding Dynamics of Juvenile River Herring

Read Sam's final report here

Jordan Baracchini and Trevor Milliken
Bourne, MA
Oyster and Nitrogen levels in Phinneys Harbor and Back River, Bourne, Mass

Read Jordan and Trevor's final report here


2014-2015

Owen Silitch
Falmouth, MA
Adenosine Triphosphate response to stress in key estuarine species, Spartina alterniflora

Charlotte Champ
New York City, NY
Animal Activity Along the Wrack Line in Martha’s Vineyard

Grace Gaumer and Maya Placek
Cohasset, MA
Cohasset Harbor Lobster Viability

Read Grace and Maya's final report here


2013-2014

Sarah Sherwood and Lily Myette
Falmouth, MA
The Effects of Nutrient Mitigation on Macroalgae

Zach Dustin and Ross Halem
Bronx, NY
Manifestations of Environmental Stress on the Atlantic Ribbed Mussel


2012-2013

Aheli Chattopadhyay
Foxboro, MA
Engineering Nanoscale Energy from Algae Cellulose Dispersed in Graphene

Henry Magun
Bronx, NY
The Impact of Environmental Stressors in the Bronx River on Heat Shock Proteins (Using the Ribbed Mussel as a Monitoring Organism)

Oliver Pomazi
Brattleboro, VT
Environmental Contaminants: Their Impact on an Invasive Species, the Japanese Knotweed, in Southern Vermont.


2011-2012

Colin Dowd and Spencer Williams
Glen Falls, NY
The Environmental Impact of Storm Water Runoff in Glens Falls, NY

Oliver Newman
Falmouth, MA
Effects of Ocean Acidification on Hermit Crab Behavior

Will Craig and Dan Ryan
Newburyport, MA
Do ballast mount solar panels have effects on erosion and plant life on a landfill cap?


2010-2011

Emily Castro, Madeline O'Grady, and Ellie Tedeschi
Cohasset, MA
Sea Foam Levels in Cohasset Harbors and Algal Blooms

Vincent Lin
Falmouth, MA
Leave Litter Decomposition: The Impact of CO2 Release on Tree Species

E. Faber
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Redistribution of Blue Crabs Following Pond Dredging on Martha's VIneyard


2009-2010

Kvehl McDermott, Maya von Wodtke, and Eliza Shriner
Brattleboro, VT
The impact of snowmaking on the watershed.

August Oddleifson and Jean Thomae
Cohasset, MA
Biofilm contamination in Cohasset Harbor


2008-2009

Joshua Grant
Nashua, NH
Monarch parasitism plot and school pollinator pixel

Sarah Langer and Sarah Fiorillo
Brattleboro, VT
Point origin of cercariae parasites in the West River

Stephanie Bacon and Katie Landeck
Wilbraham, MA
The impact of residential development on stream invertebrates and brook trout in Wilbraham streams.


2007-2008

Marta McBean
Dummerston, VT
Climate change and maple seedling development
Winner: VT Science Fair: total five distinct awards

Elizabeth Morse and Margaret Craig
Newburyport, MA
Inhibition of saltmarsh swallow development by mercury
Presentation: Massachusetts Science Fair


2006-2007

Dianne LaBerge and Arielle Greenbaum
Charlotte, VT
Eradicating purple loosestrife, an invasive species
Presentation: International meeting on invasive species, Norwich University, VT


2005-2006

Martin A. Blood-Forsythe (lead), Andrew Jenzer and Devon Sparks
Brattleboro, VT
The impact of antropogenic contaminants on the West River
Winner: Vermont Science Fair, 2006

Laszlo Ecker-Racz
Orleans, VT
The Impact of Acid Rain on Maple Seedling Development
Winner, Vermont Science Fair, 2007


2004-2005

Nathaniel Gibbs
Worcester, MA
Decontaminating Brownfields With Plants: Downtown Worcester as Laboratory


2002-2004

Justin Bourgeois
New Bedford, MA
Eelgrass and Scallop Growth in the Apponagansett Bay
Invited to Eelgrass Symposium, Seattle, WA, Fall 2004
(Extended one year due to health issues)


2001-2002

Kristin Almeida, Patrick Duddy, Philip Sousa, and Ryan Stone
Fall River, MA
Industrial Contaminants in Mother’s Brook, Fall River


2000-2001

Sarah Houghton
Quincy, MA
Mollusc Leukemia in Quincy Bay
Winner: Massachusetts Science Fair and Semi-finalist Intel Competition


1999-2000

Josh Kristiansen and Mike Brewer
Waldoboro, ME
Clam Leukemia in the Damariscotta River
Winner: Maine Science Fair