Expertise
Current research include analysis of waters in southwest Florida for the presence of chemicals of emerging concern, their biological effect, relationship to nutrients, and temporal changes. Chemicals of most interest include endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC’s) that are present in personal care products, medications, plastics, pesticides and herbicides. Our work is focusing on surface water systems including the drainage district in San Carlos Park (South Fort Myers) where the majority of the 8000 homes use septic tanks for their wastewater treatment, local isolated ponds receiving treated wastewater effluent (aka reuse), golf course stormwater ponds, agricultural canals and small creeks and springs. We are looking at the mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis holbrooki) for evidence of reproductive abnormalities and their relationships to chemicals in the waters. We are also looking at groundwater and drinking water for presence of these chemicals.
In addition, she is working with undergraduate students examining ‘big data’ available from agencies including an extensive sea turtle nesting and hatching database from Collier County that students are exploring the impacts human development, beach renourishment on success of nesting and hatchlings.
She also mentors Biology and Environmental Studies students on their independent projects. Topics range from microbial diversity to sea turtle nesting sites, ADHD, L.A.S.I.K. surgery, incidence and study of violence in rape cases, animal models for Muscular Dystrophy research.