Selina Cheng (she/her) is pursuing an M.S. in Marine Biology at the University of New Hampshire. Her research focuses on intertidal eastern oyster populations and mechanisms of facilitation by macroalgae; specifically, examining how macroalgal cover impacts environmental factors (temperature, humidity, moisture) and predation on oysters at different life stages. She is also using electronic sensors to measure oyster behavioral responses among different habitats and environmental conditions. More broadly, she is interested in long-term ecological and environmental monitoring and how the two can inform management strategies.
Selina earned bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Science and English from the University of Virginia in 2021. She developed a love for coastal ecology during her undergraduate research on blue crab abundance and habitat associations at the Virginia Coast Reserve LTER. She most recently worked as a technician at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, MD, where she created data workflows, fabricated electronics, and maintained sensor networks for salt marsh climate change experiments. She is excited to return to the marine ecology world with QMEL!
In her free time, Selina enjoys sewing, playing Ultimate Frisbee, and jumping.