Over the last few weeks, the Florida State University community has come together to grieve, to reflect, and to support one another like never before.  This weekend, we will come together in celebration as we recognize students walking in the spring commencement.  In the words of FSU President Richard McCullough, “These ceremonies will be a powerful reminder of what we share as a community: strength, compassion, and hope for the future.”  We are excited to celebrate one of our undergraduate students, Erin Tilly, as she walks the stage this weekend. Congratulations, Erin - we are so proud of you and look forward to seeing you flourish in your next chapter!

Erin will graduate with two degrees, a B.Sc. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and a B.Sc. in Environmental Science with a minor in Geology. Her Honors in the Major Thesis research focused on assessing differences above and below the surface of intertidal oyster reefs across Franklin County, FL. She, as part of Dr. Josh Breithaupt’s team and supported by the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative, combined data on shell cluster size at the surface, sediment composition, and live oyster density over five years to assess whether there was a difference in reef composition and success across different regions.

Erin was a force to be reckoned with during her time at FSU! She received an FSU IDEA grant to fund an extension of her project that analyzed stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in her samples to assess variation in sources of organic matter. She was also selected to present her work at the 2024 ACC Meeting of the Minds at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Finally, her Honors in the Major Thesis was selected for the Honors Thesis Excellence award, and she was selected as one of FSU’s Student Stars.

 “It was a privilege working with Erin. Erin joined my lab after a competitive selection process with FSU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. In the last three years, she’s been a thoughtful and energetic presence in the lab and has developed an impressive science skillset with field work, lab work, data analysis, and scientific writing. We look forward to submitting her thesis to a peer-reviewed journal later this year. We’ll miss having her at CML, but can’t wait to see what science questions she tackles next.” – Dr. Josh Breithaupt

One of her favorite FSUCML memories was participating in the 2024 FSUCML Open House.  She was so happy to be able to spend time with her lab mates and share their work with the community!  After graduation, Erin will join Dr. Lisa Chambers' Aquatic Biogeochemistry Lab at the University of Central Florida to pursue an M.Sc. in Biology. Congratulations, Erin!