Bio & Research Interests
I am originally from Los Angeles, California, and completed my BSc in Marine Biology at California State University, Long Beach in 2012 and MSc in Biology at California State University, Northridge in 2016. Under the supervision of Robert Carpenter, my master’s research focused on the interacting effects of ocean acidification with other physical factors on tropical non-calcareous macroalgae, and how the responses affected coral-algal competitive interactions. For my PhD, I am interested in the plasticity of macroalgae and the physiological mechanisms that influence or alter their responses in a continuously changing environment. Particularly, examining the assimilation of carbon by macroalgae and how it differs among species (i.e. different carbon uptake strategies), which may help potentially better understand population success and the varying macroalgal assemblages across reefs.
Qualifications
- MSc Biology, California State University, Northridge (CSUN), USA 2016
- BSc Marine Biology, California State University, Long Beach, USA 2012
Awards, Scholarships & Fellowships
- Griffith University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (GUPRS) 2017-2020 – Stipend
- GU International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (GUIPRS) 2017-2020 – Tuition fees
- COAST Travel Award, 2016 – $1000
- CSUN Associated Students Travel and Academic Funding, 2016 – $600
- CSUN Graduate Student Conference Travel Award, 2016 – $400
- CSUN Thesis Support, 2015 – $800
- Graduate Studies of CSUN-Graduate Equity Fellowship, 2013 – $2000
Publications
- Ho, M. and Carpenter, R.C. 2017. Differential growth responses to water flow and reduced pH in tropical marine macroalgae. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 491: 58-65.