Student Blogs & Vignettes

Rebecca Riccardi

Rebecca Riccardi,  ±«Óãtv CMS graduate student

Rebecca Riccardi,  ±«Óãtv CMS graduate student 

ABOUT MY RESEARCH

I am pursuing a master’s degree working in the lab of Dr. Mark Luther. I am interested in a variety of topics within the concentration of physical oceanography, including ocean and estuarine circulation. I am eager to start a career in which I can utilize physical concepts to research issues such as climate change, sea level rise, and the impact of events on the coastal environment.

I earned a B.A. in biology with a concentration in organismal and evolutionary biology and a minor in marine biology from the University of Tampa in December, 2021. My undergraduate research was focused on the influence of short-term, physical events on mangrove prevalence in Cedar Key, Florida.

WHY ±«Óãtv CMS?

I chose to attend the ±«Óãtv College of Marine Science because of the quality of the faculty and education, as well as the resources available for graduate research. In addition to becoming a professor, a career goal of mine is to work for NOAA, so it is incredibly valuable that many faculty have connections to NOAA and other important agencies. I am grateful to have the opportunity work under Dr. Mark Luther and have him as a mentor. To top it all off, I love the cities of the Tampa Bay area and it is an amazing place to study the marine world.