Interested in joining the lab?
Contact me at: bgemmell@usf.edu
Primary Investigator
Dr. Brad Gemmell
Assistant Professor
Current Lab Members
Laya Amini
Lab Manager
lamini@usf.edu
I joined Gemmell's lab in January 2023 as an undergraduate to assist with Jason's Ph.D. research. I graduated with my B.S. in marine biology in December 2023 from USF and took on the role of lab manager in 2024. Since then, I have been involved in various projects, primarily focusing on the unsteady sinking behavior of diatoms. Additionally, I have collaborated with Kelsey on other projects.
Jason Rodgers
Ph.D Student jasonrodgers@usf.edu
I am a third year Ph.D. student with the Gemmell Lab in the Department of Integrative Biology. I have M.S. degrees in Zoology (University of Hawaii) and Aeronautical Science (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University). My previous research experience involved gaining a better understanding of the effects of watershed development in Hawaii on downstream coral reef health. My interests are interdisciplinary and include coral reef ecology, military land conservation, and animal-fluid interactions in the marine and terrestrial environments. For my dissertation, I am interested in studying the fluid dynamics of rapidly maneuvering marine megafauna and how this applies to predator-prey interactions and evolutionary relationships. My research uses 2D particle image velocimetry to better understand what occurs at the microscale in the fluid surrounding these organisms while they are changing direction and rapidly accelerating.
Kelsey Daniels
Master's Student
kelsey240@usf.edu
I am a master's student in the Gemmell lab, and I joined Fall 2023. I am researching heterotrophic feeding in branching coral, and the predator-prey dynamic between evasive, hydrodynamical sensitive prey such as copepods. My goal is to explain how branching coral morphology influences the surrounding hydrodynamic environment and its subsequent effects on the capture efficiency of copepods.
Chase McGuire
Ph.D Student chasemcguire@usf.edu
My research combines elements of marine ecology and fluid dynamics to investigate the swimming locomotion and predator-prey interactions of various fish morphologies. I previously earned degrees in both business management and marine biology from the University of South Florida before returning to pursue a PhD in integrative biology. I am passionate about making biology both engaging and accessible for all. Outside of academia I live for venturing through the waterways of Florida and am always on the lookout for live music.
Gabriel Flores-Kugel
Undergraduate gabrielfloreskugel@usf.edu
My name is Gabriel Flores-Kugel, and I’m a Marine Biology major with a focus on phytoplankton dynamics. Since Spring 2024, I’ve been working in the lab studying diatom sinking rates and behavior. Our experimental design involves using high-speed cameras to capture detailed footage of diatom sinking, and my data analysis has focused on tracking their movement frame by frame to better understand their behavior. A unique part of this work has been going out at 2 a.m. to collect samples using a plankton net, giving me hands-on experience with both fieldwork and lab techniques. I work closely with my lab partner Laya. Together, we’ve analyzed dozens of slow-motion diatom videos, collected diatom samples, and recorded our own footage. I’ll be continuing this research through Summer 2025, and afterward, I plan to pursue graduate studies in marine pharmacology, where I hope to explore the biomedical potential of marine organisms.
Erica Molnar
Undergraduate
emolnar@usf.edu
I am a junior studying marine biology and plan to graduate in Spring 2026. I am interested in ocean health, specifically regarding disease and parasitism in fish and hope to eventually earn a PhD in marine biology. I am an avid diver, and am AAUS certified at USF. In the Gemmell Lab, I work closely with PhD students: Jason and Chase on burst-swimming and fast-start acceleration in reef species, as well as the two-tail hypothesis in pelagic fish species.
Natalie Arn
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Undergraduate
arn20@usf.edu
My name is Natalie and I just recently joined the Gemmell Lab. I am part way through undergrad studying Marine Biology and Environmental Science. I joined the lab to get some hands-on research experience with marine organisms. I am currently working with Chase helping him set up PIV to film acceleration with various species of reef and pelagic fish.
Lab Alumni
David Durieux
PhD Student: Fall 2016 - Fall 2021
Dissertation defense:
The Ecological Role of Cassiopea in Shallow Mangrove Habitats
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Nils Tack
PhD Student: Fall 2016 - Fall 2021
Dissertation defense:
Moving in Fluid: Exploring How Fishes Manipulate Water to Swim Efficiently
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Betsy Potter
Master's Student: Fall 2019 - Fall 2021
Thesis defense:
Ubiquitous yet Inconspicuous: Quantifying Trophic Impact of a Widespread Oceanic Comb Jelly (Ctenophore)
Victoria Scriven
Master's Student: Started Fall 2020
I received my Bachelor's of Science in Oceanography from Texas A&M University and am now looking to focus on the interconnectivity of marine organisms and their physical environment. Marine science is inherently interdisciplinary, and I hope to use my background in conjunction with MBARI to explore the predator/prey relationships of deep-sea gelatinous zooplankton using approaches that bridge advanced technology, biology, and oceanographic principles.
Postdoctoral Scholar: Spring 2017 - Summer 2021
I study how marine organisms interact with their physical environments. I am particularly interested in applying fluid mechanics approaches to studying suspension feeding behavior in bivalves. I received a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Maine in 2016.
Dr. Kevin Du Clos
Sara Garcia
Master's Student: Spring 2016 - Fall 2018
A Houston native, Sara graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (2015) with a degree in Marine and Freshwater Biology. She is a 3rd semester　Masters student. Her research focuses on sublethal effects of crude oil and chemical dispersant on the swimming, settlement, and feeding of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) at different life cycle stages. It is her hope that her findings will contribute to the understanding of the effects of oil spills and how to respond effectively while minimizing environmental impacts. She is the current secretary of the Biology Graduate Student Organization.
Olivia Hawkins
Undergraduate Researcher: Spring 2016 - Spring 2019;
Lab Assistant: Summer 2019
I am a recent USF graduate and Gemmell lab undergraduate with a B.S. in Marine Biology and French language. My research interests lie at the intersection of ecology and morphology, with emphasis on feeding in invertebrates and fishes. Previous projects I have been involved with in the lab focused on the effect of oil and chemical dispersant on the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), and the effect of the wing-like body plan of the open ocean ctenophore Cestum veneris on its hydrodynamics associated with feeding.
Kathrene Lo
Undergraduate Researcher and Volunteer: Fall 2015 - Fall 2016;
Lab Assistant: Spring 2017 and Summer 2019
I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Marine Biology from USF- Tampa in Fall 2016. My interests encompass a union of marine ecology and coral biology. As an undergraduate, I have worked on a variety of projects including how Atlantic ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa) density affects marsh ecosystem function as a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Within the Gemmell Lab, one of my main projects has been exploring the preliminary results of how light and nutrient levels affect the diatom (Coscinodiscus wailesii).
Alexander Freeman
Undergraduate Research Assistant: Started Summer 2021
I graduate in Fall 2021 with a Bachelor's in Marine Biology from USF. I am assisting in a project studying cuttlefish in the Gemmell lab. My general work involves caring for the cuttlefish and doing kinematics on their finning patterns. Little work has been done on the cruising locomotion of cephalopods and the mechanisms they favor, so I am aiding Dr. Gemmell and Dr. Judkins in studying this.
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Gabrielle Scrogham
Undergraduate Researcher: Spring 2019 - Fall 2021;
Lab Technician: Started Fall 2021
I graduated with a Bachelor's in marine biology and minor in astronomy in 2020 from USF. As an undergraduate I conducted a field study on the population dynamics of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea, and have since continued collaborating on research studying Cassiopea and other lab projects. I will be entering a Master's program in Spring 2021 to study geology.
Riley Krohn
Marcos Martinez
Christian Fender
Edward Good
Hailley Nieves
Undergraduate Student: Spring 2017
He worked with Nils Tack
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Undergraduate Student: Spring 2017
He worked with Dr. Kevin Du Clos
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Undergraduate Student: Spring 2017 and Fall 2017
He worked with David Durieux and later on an individual project of his own.
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Undergraduate Student: Spring 2018
He worked with Dr. Kevin Du Clos.
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Undergraduate Student: Fall 2018 - Spring 2019
She worked with Dr. Kevin Du Clos.