Serina is a first-year Ph.D. student studying marine disease ecology at the University of California, Davis. After earning her B.S. from Cornell University, Serina worked for two years as a Research Technician in the Infectious Disease Department at Massachusetts General Hospital, learning about the importance of targeted research questions regarding human health. Her love for the ocean brought her back to academia for graduate school, where she plans to conduct research on the drivers behind seagrass wasting disease, and how ocean health impacts coastal communities. Serina is Open-Water certified, and is thrilled to use this grant for her Scientific Diver certification, allowing her to explore more complex research questions and create collaborations within the diving community.

‍