Lab members
Dr. Lauren Nadler
Assistant professor and NMBP Lab PI
I am originally from New Jersey but have spent much of my career outside of the US, completing graduate school in Scotland and Australia, and a postdoc in Norway, as well as as much fieldwork as possible in far-flung places like the Red Sea and Lizard Island. I started my lab at NSU in the summer of 2020 and am interested in the physiological mechanisms underlying behavioral phenotypes, and how these shift depending on environmental perturbations and parasite infection, particularly in gregarious fishes.
Assistant professor and NMBP Lab PI
I am originally from New Jersey but have spent much of my career outside of the US, completing graduate school in Scotland and Australia, and a postdoc in Norway, as well as as much fieldwork as possible in far-flung places like the Red Sea and Lizard Island. I started my lab at NSU in the summer of 2020 and am interested in the physiological mechanisms underlying behavioral phenotypes, and how these shift depending on environmental perturbations and parasite infection, particularly in gregarious fishes.
Monica Bacchus
M.S. student I have lived in Florida my whole life so the ocean feels like a second home to me. Since I was a child, I have always been interested in why animals behave the way they do, leading me to become a professional in Marine Biology. I have worked hands-on with aquatic species while interning at Gulf Specimen Marine Lab, and conducted research studying tradeoffs in Eastern Mosquitofish! |
Maranda Ealahan
M.S. student I’ve lived near the ocean my whole life, so marine biology has always been a passion of mine. I grew up 10 minutes away from the ocean in a small town located in southeastern Connecticut. When I was little, my family had a boat that we would take out fishing and I loved to see what was below the ocean surface. I attended the Marine Science Magnet High School in Connecticut and further pursued my passion for marine biology at the University of Rhode Island for my undergraduate degree. While at URI, I volunteered with one of my professors tagging blue sharks and mako sharks. I also took a shark research class one summer where I had the opportunity to swim with blue sharks in Rhode Island and whale sharks in Mexico. I also learned about different shark research techniques from numerous shark scientists. Initially, this is where my love for shark research started! This is my first year at NSU and I’m so excited to be in the NMBP lab working on the new Hammerhead Shark Behavior project! |
Brittany Savercool
M.S. student Growing up, my dad was constantly traveling to exotic and exciting locations for work. Around the time I was 4 years old, we took a trip to St. Lucia. While snorkeling for my first time ever, my dad told me that this is what he does on his work trips. From that moment on, I knew I had to study this vibrant underwater world. After growing up outside of Philadelphia, I was ready for warm weather and water! I moved my life down to Tampa, FL where I earned my B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of South Florida. Shortly after graduating from USF, I began at Nova’s M.S. Marine Science program. My thesis project is determining which behavioral and physiological traits are selected with various fishing gear; this phenomenon is also known as fisheries-induced evolution. I spend my free time hanging out with my Golden puppy, Atka, and feeding my inner foodie at new, local restaurants. 
Ashley Hannigan
M.S. student I was originally born in New Jersey, lived outside of Philadelphia for a few years, but spent most of my life growing up outside of Pittsburgh. I attended the University of Maryland, College Park and received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science: Care and Management. After spending some time studying abroad in Sydney, Australia, I knew I wanted to have a career working with marine life. My interests in marine science revolve around conservation and education. I believe the two go hand-in-hand and both aspects I am very passionate about. I joined the NMBP lab with a capstone project researching corals as food and what factors dictate corallivore foraging behavior. Dr. Nadler is a great mentor and the peers in this lab are all very passionate about their projects, making it an amazing group to be a part of! I’m very excited to be expanding my knowledge about corals’ traits, morphologies, and nutritional content as well as learning more about corallivorous fish and invertebrates in general! 
Hannah Bauman
M.S. student (primary supervisor: Dr. Chris Blanar) I was born and raised in Wisconsin. As an undergraduate, I attended University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences. Even though I grew up in Wisconsin, I always had a love for the ocean and after taking parasitology as an undergraduate, I knew I wanted to continue studying parasites. I also took a few animal behavior classes and enjoyed learning about their behavior. I completed undergraduate research through the REU program at Tarleton State University. I studied the parasite communities of two species of freshwater fish found in the Texas Colorado River, Western mosquitofish and red shiners. After presenting that research at the American Society of Parasitologists conference, I was introduced to NSU’s graduate program. I am excited to be a part of Dr. Nadler's Marine Behavior and Physiology Lab and continue to study parasites and the behavior of fish. |
Bennett Perry
M.S. student Even at a young age, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in Marne Science. Some of my favorite memories from my childhood include snorkeling off the beaches of Hawaii and learning about all kinds of marine fauna and flora at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. During my undergraduate years at Rollins College, I got the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research with Dr. Kathryn Sutherland at the Mote Marine Laboratory. We took photographs of tagged colonies of elkhorn coral at Looe Key Reef and traced the live tissue using ImageJ and compared these results to previous measurements to determine how recent hurricanes like Hurricane Irma had affected the health of these colonies. After I completed my Marine Biology major at Rollins, I worked as an educator at both the Duke Marine Laboratory and SeaWorld Orlando as part of a gap year. The combination of my experiences in both research and education inspired me to continue my education and pursue a career in academia. 
Krystal Renta
M.S. student I was born and raised in New Jersey and always had a love for the ocean ever since I could remember. Being far away from the ocean made me value its beauty along with all of its peculiar inhabitants. Luckily, my mother valued traveling, and I believe it is a large part of what has shaped who I am today. I have seen so many beautiful things like the stunning coral reefs in Jamaica, the breathtaking Amazon rainforest, and the turbulent rivers of Costa Rica. I moved down to Florida and spent my undergraduate at Nova Southeastern University, and I loved it so much that I decided to continue here to obtain my Masters in Marine Biology. I am interested in change and how abiotic affects could influence the behavioral responses of organisms. I am excited to be in the NMBP Lab to develop my skills as a researcher and to determine how concurrent stressors of ocean warming, ocean acidification, and hypoxia could affect the calming effect and the escape response of schooling fish. 
Sofia El-Rass
Undergraduate researcher My whole life has been spent near the ocean. First in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, then in Copenhagen, Denmark, and now in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Having the Red Sea as my backyard growing up is where my curiosity about the marine world began. My passion for marine biology as a career, however, started when I took my first breath underwater using SCUBA, and instantly I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Ever since, I’ve been working with different organizations such as Operation Wallacea, the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council, and AIMM Portugal to learn as much as possible about what makes our home the Blue Planet. I am beyond excited to be working with the NMBP lab to take the next steps in fulfilling that dream. |
Laura Nicolas
Undergraduate researcher This is my third year at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) as a double major in marine biology and behavioral neuroscience. I moved to Florida to initially pursue a degree in marine biology. I decided to double major in neuroscience after falling in love with my first psychology course my freshman year. I was born in California and grew up in Spain. Ever since I was a little kid I have been in contact with animals and have always been interested in understanding the way they behave. It was on multiple trips to Southern Spain, and a visit to the Monterey Aquarium on the West Coast of the USA that sparked my curiosity for the ocean. By watching documentaries about marine life, I became even more fascinated by the wonders of the sea. Being part of the Nadler Marine Behavior and Physiology Lab allows me to explore both of my passions, marine biology and neuroscience, while also providing a hands-on experience in the field I would like to work on in the future. |
Morgan Pfeiffer
Undergraduate researcher Ever since I was little, my family had made it a point to watch Shark Week every year. This annual event along with visiting family in South Florida really inspired me to want to study sharks and marine biology - even though I live in North Carolina, 4 hours from the ocean. I am now in my junior year at NSU and I am beginning research projects and hands-on work. I am so excited to be part of Dr. Nadler’s lab and I hope that this experience can help me learn more and explore different research and post-undergraduate opportunities! |
Celeste Jaworski
Undergraduate researcher
I was born and raised in Michigan, yet always had a fascination for the ocean. I would read any book on marine life that was available to me and, as I got older, attended many marine biology camps outside of my freshwater state. As a NSU marine biology undergraduate, I have found my interests being drawn to fish behavior and what affects it. I’m excited to work with everyone in the NMBP lab and better understand how parasites affect fish behavior. I am thankful to be working in this lab so that it will help me learn more about different kinds of fish behaviors and teach me about different research methods that will benefit me in my future.
Undergraduate researcher
I was born and raised in Michigan, yet always had a fascination for the ocean. I would read any book on marine life that was available to me and, as I got older, attended many marine biology camps outside of my freshwater state. As a NSU marine biology undergraduate, I have found my interests being drawn to fish behavior and what affects it. I’m excited to work with everyone in the NMBP lab and better understand how parasites affect fish behavior. I am thankful to be working in this lab so that it will help me learn more about different kinds of fish behaviors and teach me about different research methods that will benefit me in my future.
Lab alumni
Nathan Andrews (Undergraduate researcher, Fall 2020)
Taylor Peterson-Laparl (Undergraduate researcher, Fall 2020)
Victoria Heller (Volunteer graduate researcher, Fall 2020-Winter 2021)
Courtney Aulden (Graduate researcher, Fall 2020-Summer 2021)
James Puentes (Undergraduate researcher, Winter 2021-Fall 2021)