Marissa Kordal is currently a first-year Master’s student at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (UTMSI), where her research is focused on evaluating the health of oyster reefs using environmental DNA (eDNA). Marissa is working on a collaborative project with researchers from UTMSI and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. The project aims to develop a comprehensive model for the Texas Park and Wildlife Department to assess oyster reef health and guide conservation efforts for reef restoration.

Marissa’s interest in marine science and scuba began early in her undergraduate career when she majored in biology at the State University of New York at Cortland. During this time, she started researching the effects of plastic pollution on gametogenesis gene expression in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), and started her journey toward becoming a certified scuba diver. Once certified, she explored the freshwater lakes of upstate New York and oceans abroad, where she gained an appreciation for both freshwater and saltwater ecosystems. Her first time on a coral reef was in Belize where she saw sharks, rays, beautiful coral reef fishes, and incredible coral structures which really opened her eyes to how special the underwater environment is and how vulnerable it is. These experiences have made her passionate about marine conservation and have sparked her interest in investigating current anthropogenic stressors to marine ecosystems and how we can mitigate those stressors. 

Through her undergraduate research, Marissa learned about the many ecosystem services oysters provide and their importance to other species and their communities. In doing so, she discovered how imperiled oyster reef ecosystems are and their need for conservation management. Despite the efforts that have gone into restoring these ecosystems, there have only been marginal recovery rates in oyster abundance. Her Master’s work will focus on evaluating oyster abundance, biodiversity, and parasite abundance on oyster reefs throughout the Texas Coastal Bend using eDNA and DNA metabarcoding. This interdisciplinary research will broaden our understanding of how environmental conditions and harvest pressure impact oyster reef ecosystem functioning. 

Marissa is working towards becoming a scientific diver so she can explore portions of her studies that require diving. She has already completed her diver stress and rescue certification since beginning her Master’s program and is eager to gain more experience using her new skills. Ultimately, she wants to become a divemaster and AAUS-certified scientific diver. Following the completion of her Master’s degree, Marissa plans to continue her work in marine science and work toward becoming a laboratory manager in a research lab where she can use her diving skills to help answer scientific questions. Her dream is to do work on coral reefs and contribute toward the conservation of these important, beautiful ecosystems.