UMCES celebrates the Class of 2026 at Commencement Ceremony

BALTIMORE, MD - UMCES officially awarded degrees to the Class of 2026 on Friday, May 29, 2026 at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET). President Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm presided over the ceremony.

The Commencement Address was delivered by Dr. Carrie Solomon, President of The National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Vice President of the Rochester Institute of Technology, and a MEES Program alumna.

The following awards were presented to students, staff, and faculty who went above and beyond during this academic year:

The Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, selected by UMCES students, is presented to an UMCES faculty member who has made significant contributions as an advisor or mentor to UMCES graduate students through their dedication of time, energy, and wisdom. This year’s award was presented to Dr. Laura Lapham.

The Outstanding Student Service Award is given to an UMCES graduate student who has provided outstanding service during their tenure at UMCES, especially contributions that go beyond traditional academic or scientific achievement. This year’s award was presented to Sarah Endyke. 

The President’s Award for Outstanding Research Support is given to an UMCES faculty research assistant who has made an outstanding contribution to achieving the UMCES mission through discovery, integration, application, teaching, and service. This year’s award was presented to Mike Owens.

The President’s Award for Excellence in Application of Science is an award for an UMCES faculty member whose exemplary applications of science have had a positive impact on environmental protection and management. This year’s recipient is Dr. Lora Harris.

The inaugural UMCES Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the incredible accomplishments of UMCES alumni. The recipient is selected by a panel of UMCES faculty, staff, and students. After this year, this award will be presented annually during this ceremony. This year’s award was presented to Dr. Kimberly Warner, Senior Scientist at Oceana.

Immense congratulations to all of this year’s graduates!

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

1. Abdulmajid M. Alrefaie
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Environmental Molecular Science and Technology
   2. Advisor: Dr. Yantao Li, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
   3. Understanding the Heterotrophic Acetate Metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
2. Lucas W. DeGroote
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Ecological Systems
   2. Advisor: Dr. Emily Cohen, Appalachian Laboratory
   3. Understanding and Protecting Migrating Landbirds: Stopover Niches, Migration Strategies, and Effective Collision-Reducing Glass
3. Catherine Fitzgerald
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Ecological Systems
   2. Advisor: Dr. James Pierson, Horn Point Laboratory
   3. Zooplankton, Larval Fish, and Investigative Methods in the Choptank River
4. Miranda Judd
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Environmental Molecular Science and Technology
   2. Advisors: Drs. Allen R. Place and Tsvetan Bachvaroff, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
   3. Establishing a Model: Amphidinium carterae as a Template for Dinoflagellate Genomics & Expression
5. Bruna Fernanda Sobrinho
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Earth and Ocean Systems
   2. Advisor: Dr. Patricia Glibert, Horn Point Laboratory
   3. Productivity and Light-Dependent Respiration of Phytoplankton, Including the Dinoflagellate Karenia brevis: Environmental Effect Interactions
6. Yanyu Wang
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Environment, Health, and Society
   2. Advisor: Dr. Xin Zhang, Appalachian Laboratory
   3. Toward Circular and Sustainable Nitrogen Management in the US and Globally: From System-Wide Budgets and Efficiency Drivers to Improvement Strategies
7. Jens Wira
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Environmental Molecular Science and Technology
   2. Advisor: Dr. Allen R. Place, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
   3. Illuminating Dinoflagellates: Integrating Technology for Movement and Light Sensing

MASTER OF SCIENCE

1. Julia Catherine Charest
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Ecological Systems
   2. Advisor: Dr. Lorie Staver, Horn Point Laboratory
   3. Measuring the Effect of a Prescribed Burn on Nitrification-Coupled Denitrification in a Restored Chesapeake Bay Tidal Marsh
2. Lael Collins
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Ecological Systems
   2. Advisor: Dr. Michael Wilberg, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory
   3. Mysids in Nearshore Food Webs of Chesapeake Bay Tributaries
3. Luke Feeney
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Environmental Molecular Science and Technology
   2. Advisor: Dr. Allen Place, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
   3. The Efficacy of Oolitic Aragonite for Ammonia Control and Microbial Modulation in Broiler Litter
4. Anikka Fife
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Environment, Health, and Society
   2. Advisors: Drs. Matthew Houser and Xin Zhang, Horn Point Laboratory
   3. Exploring On-Farm Green Nitrogen: Farmers’ Views on an Innovative Fertilizer Technology
5. Erika Louise Koontz
   1. Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences/ Earth and Ocean Systems
   2. Advisors: Drs. Cindy Palinkas and Lorie Staver, Horn Point Laboratory
   3. Evaluating Sediment, Vegetation, and Shoreline Dynamics at Rock Sill Living Shorelines in Chesapeake Bay

MASTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

1. Lina Marie Goetz
   1. Master of Environmental Management in Sustainability
   2. Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Norris, Frostburg State University
   3. Using GIS to Evaluate Sustainability in Harford County, Maryland
2. Gage Jacobs
   1. Master of Environmental Management in Sustainability
   2. Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Norris, Frostburg State University
   3. Raising Rare Ecosystems: Environmental Aquaponics
3. Vanessa Mukendi
   1. Master of Environmental Management in Sustainability
   2. Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Norris, Frostburg State University
   3. Unequal Waters: Flood Risk and Inequity in Washington, DC
4. Antonia Zais
   1. Master of Environmental Management in Sustainability
   2. Advisor: Dr. Benjamin Norris, Frostburg State University
   3. Turning Orange Green: Using Constructed Wetlands for Acid Mine Drainage Mitigation