Welcome to the Fall 2025 issue of our newsletter the Salem State Biologist . Life in the Biology Department is, as usual, somewhat busy as we are ending the first day of classes of the Fall 2025 semester. Although we are at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, most of the articles in this newsletter cover the past year.
As I write this on a warm, early fall Wednesday afternoon, I can report that:
• Commencement 2025, saw some 60 Biology Seniors graduate – see some of their stories later.
• Students and Faculty have conducted and reported on their research (from a variety of locations) at numerous meetings, including the North Shore Chapter of Sigma Xi held at Salem State in February 2025, the North East Algal Society symposium in Fayetteville, NY in April 2025, Undergraduate Research Day in May 2025 and the Biology Summer Research Program in June 2025.
• We stay in fairly close contact with our alumni and they will always be welcome in the department. Read what Jesse Moreira (2017), Fred Jeffries (2022) and Azra Lakacha (2022) are up to.
• We said ‘farewell’ to Professors Juditha Burchsted (see articles later), David Mercer and Amy Sprenkle. Together they contributed over 70 years to the Biology Department.
• We welcomed two new colleagues, Jeremy Bechelli, PhD and Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis, PhD. Professor Bechelli is a microbiologist who will take over from Professor Amy Sprenkle who retired in December 2024. Professor Green-Gavrielidis, a marine biologist, will add to our marine ‘team’ following the retirement of Professor Mark Fregeau a few years ago.
• Our 46th Darwin Festival was jam-packed with interesting talks. We began the week with Roger Hanlon, PhD (Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole) explaining how cephalopod mollusks can change their ‘skin’ to camouflage themselves and ended with alumna, Ms. Pamela Rosales, revealing the details of ‘homologous recombination and heterochromatin maintenance’ in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , the focus of her PhD research. See more details in this issue.
• Our student Biological Society (affectionately known as the ‘BioSociety’) and our Greenhouse Club have had another active year! In addition, the Salem State University chapter of SACNAS https://www.sacnas.org (see report later) continues to play a significant role in the lives of many students at SSU.
• Members of the Biology Department have numerous skills that often are not revealed. As you wander around the fourth floor of Meier Hall you may have noticed the striking photographs of owls, insects and crustaceans. Read more about Mr. Scott Weston’s photography in this issue.
As you read these pages you will note how active your Biology Department continues to be. To current students, please stop by the Biology Office if you have any questions and/or concerns and to alumni please do come by for a visit!
Ryan Fisher
September, 2025
BERMUDA TRIP
Prof. Thea Popolizio led a second group of Salem State students to Bermuda this summer with her BIO399 Field Experiences in Biology course. The group stayed at the ASU Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (https://bios.asu.edu ) and spent a week snorkeling colorful reefs, swimming in caves, exploring mangroves, and going behind the scenes at the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo. A highlight for students was visiting Nonsuch Island, a living conservation project restored with native vegetation and a haven for the endangered Bermuda cahow. Fieldwork was paired with labs exploring plankton, algae and coral. Students also engaged in authentic research: conducting fish surveys to compare with historical records in the Reef Environmental Education Foundation database (https://www.reef. org/database-reports) and analyzing reef transect photos with Coral Point Count software (https://hcas.nova.edu/ tools-and-resources/cpce) to compare coral cover with BIOS data from 2016.
The trip wasn’t without challenges—heat, currents, and seasickness tested their limits—but students described the field course as “amazing,” “exciting” and “oncein-a-lifetime.” One student reflected, “I had fun! Yes, it is a course and the academics are important, but I also got to experience joy, explore a new place and create good memories.”
Beyond the unforgettable adventures, the trip strengthened confidence, teamwork, and, for some, a clearer sense of themselves as future marine scientists.
Hopefully, a third cohort of students will join Prof. Popolizio in Bermuda in Summer of 2027!
BOTANY IN EUROPE
This summer, Prof. Lisa Delissio used her well-established research thread on hidden nineteenth century women botanists to increase Salem State’s visibility in Europe, elevate and energize her scholarship, inform her teaching, provide an outstanding abroad experience for a Salem State undergraduate, and further develop a budding relationship between Salem State and the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London. First, she presented a paper on methods for uncovering the work of marginalized scientists at a conference at the Université Bourgogne Europe, Dijon, France. This conference was the first ever on the practices of women botanists, so she was excited to meet other experts in the field!
After the conference, she returned to the NHM where she had presented the previous summer as well. There, she gave her second invited seminar on nineteenth century woman botanists as part of their Science & Culture theme. Commonwealth Honors student Aiden Muise joined her in London to carry out research (Aiden was conducting research on museum learning within natural history exhibits) at the NMH, the British Library and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Their visit included behind-the-scenes tours of the NMH. Of special interest was their extraordinary bespoke storage of their historical (pre-Linnean) herbarium (dried pressed plant) collection as well as their unmatched botanical library.
Delissio also received the Nathaniel Bowditch Award for her curation of the Sargent Arboretum in Salem, MA. This preservation award was given by Historical
Professor Lisa Delissio (center) with student Aiden Muise (right) and John Hunnex, PhD, Curator, British and Irish Herbarium, Natural History Museum in London, U.K.
Prof.
Salem Inc.
Professor Lisa Delissio receives her award with Christine Lutts (President of the Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery, center) and student Aiden Muise (right).
The Salem State University Biology Department, September 2025
PROFESSOR GREEN-GAVRIELIDIS AND PROFESSOR POPOLIZIO
TAKE THE REINS
OF THE NORTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AQUACULTURE CENTER
Beginning in May of this year, Prof. Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis and Prof. Thea Popolizio took over as co-coordinators for the Northeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center (NEMAC) which is housed at SSU. NEMAC is one of three aquaculture centers in the state and works to support the sustainable development of aquaculture, especially on the North Shore. Earlier this year, Prof. Green-Gavrielidis hosted farmers from one of the two active oyster farms on the North Shore, Great Marsh Shellfish Company, for a guest lecture in her Introduction to Aquaculture class. The class then visited the farm in April and was able to help set-up gear for an oyster nursery on the farm. Prof. Green-Gavrielidis and Prof. Popolizio have plans to work with Great Marsh Shellfish Company and Mud Creek Shellfish, both in Rowley, to determine water quality parameters and phytoplankton species present on their farms over the coming years.
In June, Prof. Green-Gavrielidis and Prof. Popolizio attended a MA Aquaculture Center meeting in Duxbury which included a visit to the Island Creek Oyster Hatchery. There they discussed issues facing the aquaculture industry in MA and potential future collaborations with their counterparts at the Southeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center (SEMAC) and the Western Center for Sustainable Aquaculture at UMass Amherst. Also in attendance were members of the MA Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and MA Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). Any students interested in participating in research related to aquaculture should reach out to Prof. Green-Gavrielidis or Prof. Popolizio to discuss research opportunities.
Prof. Green-Gavrielidis and Prof. Popolozio at the Island Creek shellfish hatchery in Duxbury, MA.
46TH DARWIN FESTIVAL February 10-14, 2025
Our 46th festival began with the Founders Lecture delivered by Prof. Roger Hanlon of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, MA. He had everyone enthralled by the camouflage ‘tricks’ of the octopus – “The Octopus as Tech: Exploring the Science, Art, and Technological Potential of Nature’s Most Spectacular Color Change Artist”.
His talk was followed by a diverse mix of ‘stories’ from the natural world including new approaches to neurodegenerative diseases (Prof. Robert Logan, Endicott College), to the fascinating strategies of carnivorous plants (Prof. Jess Stephens, Westfield State University), to how nocturnal primates have adapted to a life in the absence of light (Prof. Stephanie Poindexter, University at Buffalo), to the impacts of hurricanes and wildfires on carbon and water cycles (Prof. Gavin Gleasman, Salem State University).
The week finished with Alumni Day, where alumna, Ms. Pamela Rosales, explained how mating type switching occurs in the yeast, Saccaromyces cerevisiae . Pamela is working on her PhD at Tufts University. Prior to the final talk, our Biological Society, led by President, Brenna Dillon, arranged an extremely informative “Diversity in STEM Panel”.
For a full list of our 46th Darwin Festival schedule visit: https://www.salemstate.edu/darwinfestival
Recordings from past festivals can be found at the Library repository: https://digitalrepository.salemstate.edu/handle/20.500.13013/2093
Our 2026 47th Darwin Festival will held the week of February 9-13, 2026.
SSU students helping install equipment for an oyster nursery at Great Marsh Shellfish Company in Rowley, MA.
Alumni and Students at the Alumni Event – 46th Darwin Festival
PROF. JEREMY BECHELLI OUR NEW MICROBIOLOGIST
Jeremy Bechelli earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from The University of New York College at Brockport State, located in Western New York. He received his Master’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Rochester, then moved to Texas where he earned his Doctoral degree in Experimental Pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas, where he focused on infectious diseases and rickettsiology.
Prof. Bechelli’s research interests are centered around tick-borne infectious diseases, such as rickettsial infections and the Colorado tick fever virus. He is also active in the discovery of novel antibioticproducing bacteria, as well as the genetics of medicinal plants, especially Mandragora species.
Prof. Bechelli is excited to teach a diverse range of courses at Salem State University, including Microbiology, Advanced Topics in Microbiology, Virology and Parasitology. He is also developing a new microbiology course specifically designed for biology majors. Through his teaching, he aims to inspire students to engage with research early in their academic careers, helping them better understand the microbial world around them and its impact on human health and the environment.
RYAN FISHER AND AMY SPRENKLE BEING ‘PIED’!
This photo represents many traits of Prof. Amy Sprenkle. At a past department BBQ, a student won a contest where the winning prize was to ‘pie’ the faculty member of their choice with a whipped cream pie. “Sprenkle!” the student shouted, and “where is she?” Prof. Sprenkle stood up against the wall and awaited her fate, because was she was always, always up to fun with students (in the classroom, Microbiology lab, or at a BBQ). She shared her passion about microbes of all types and had a collection of stuffed animals, resembling various microorganisms (including Treponema pallidum ), that she took to her lectures. Fundamentally, Prof. Sprenkle loved being in the lab, doing research, or teaching students to do original research. To this end, she brought the Tiny Earth project (Studentsourcing antibiotic discovery, https://tinyearth.wisc.edu/ ) to the Biology department wherein students are still today collecting soil samples from home and screening the collected microorganisms for antibiotic activity within our Microbiology lab courses. If that was not enough… Prof. Sprenkle brought a bigger project to SSU (100% externally funded) called SEA-PHAGES, which is a phage virus “discovery-based undergraduate research course” (https://seaphages.org/ ). This consortium project has been conducted at 258 universities across the United States, including our “neighbors”, Providence College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Bacteria are small and wondrous, but viruses are even smaller, which is right in line with Prof. Sprenkle’s mantra, “less is more; small is beautiful.”
PROF. GREEN-GAVRIELIDIS BRINGS A PASSION FOR MARINE BIOLOGY AND UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TO THE BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Prof. Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis, or Prof. G, joined the Biology Department this past fall as an Associate Professor. Prof. G grew up in rural central New Hampshire (the Upper Valley) and attended college initially at Florida Institute of Technology as a first-generation college student. After a few semesters and hurricanes, she returned to New England to complete her Bachelor of Science in Biology and later her Master of Science in Marine Biology at Northeastern University. It was during her graduate studies that she first became interested in studying seaweeds, which she has continued to do over the past 15 years. After graduating from Northeastern, Prof. G attended the University of New Hampshire where she studied seaweed aquaculture and earned a PhD. She then re-located to Rhode Island where she spent 10 years conducting research and teaching first at the University of Rhode Island and then at Salve Regina University.
Prof. G is a marine biologist who’s research interests include marine aquaculture, introduced or non-native species and human impacts on coastal environments. She brings a passion for seaweeds and collaborative research with undergraduate students to our department. During her first year, Prof. G taught a range of courses including Introduction to Aquaculture, Marine Biology, and Ecology and the Environment. She also began collaborative projects with three undergraduate students whom she brought to the 2025 Northeast Algal Symposium in Fayetteville, NY last spring. She continued her collaborative research with Hannah Siegmund (Class of 2025) this summer, supported by a generous grant from the Kathy Murphy Research Award. Together they worked on a collaborative project with partners at UMass Boston and the University of Rhode Island and identified over 100 specimens of seaweeds via DNA sequencing. Hannah and Prof. G were also able to go to Rhode Island to participate in sample collection and field work this summer. If you are interested in pursuing a career in marine science or in conducting marine biology research while at SSU, please reach out to Prof. G!
Prof. G and Hannah Siegmund ‘25 conduct field research and collect seaweed samples in Rhode Island.
G holding a
JOIN SACNAS AT SSU!
Hot off the press! The Salem State University Chapter of SACNAS has won a prestigious national award ‘ NATIONAL 2025 SACNAS Outstanding Chapter Award for Innovative Science! Congratulations to Dr. Laura Laranjo and all the students who have moved the chapter forwards. A few students will be heading over to Columbus, Ohio at the end of October to receive the award at the 2025 NDiSTEM Conference.’
The SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) chapter at Salem State University offers incredible opportunities for ALL students pursuing careers in STEM and health-related fields. This upcoming year, SACNAS will collaborate with the Pre-Health Committee to support students interested in medical, dental, veterinary and other health professions. Together, they will host workshops, MCAT study sessions (with free prep materials), and provide guidance on personal statements, résumés and more.
Want to stay in the loop? Contact faculty advisor Prof. Laura Laranjo at llaranjo@salemstate.edu to be added to the mailing list.
Prof.
blade of kelp during a dive in southern New England. One of Prof. G’s research areas is focused on changes to kelp habitats due to climate change.
AZRA LAKACHA AND HER CAREER IN SCIENCE EDUCATION
I have always had a deep passion for science. My earliest dream was to become a veterinarian, and as I grew older, I fell in love with biology during high school. It felt like the world was my oyster—with countless opportunities in the field of Biology. I pursued a Bachelor’s in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry with the intention of working in a laboratory setting.
Right after graduation, I found myself at a crossroads—I did not have the luxury of taking a pay cut working as a laboratory technician. That’s when my former high school biology teacher offered me an unexpected opportunity: to teach biology at the school where my journey began. I accepted, thinking it would be a temporary role—just a stepping stone while I searched for the “real” job I had imagined for myself in a lab.
What I didn’t expect was to completely fall in love with teaching.
At first, I was nervous. I hadn’t been trained in the field of education, and I wasn’t sure how I’d connect with a room full of teenagers. I knew the content well, but translating biological concepts into something engaging for 14-year-olds was a whole new challenge. Yet, what began as uncertainty soon became something deeply fulfilling. I discovered that I didn’t just enjoy teaching—I thrived in it. There is something powerful about witnessing a student’s face light up in understanding.
In those moments, I realized that my passion for biology could serve a greater purpose: to inspire the next generation of thinkers, explorers and scientists. Each day I teach, I am reminded of how impactful a great educator can be—just as my own high school biology teacher inspired me years ago.
Now, as I complete my third year in the classroom, I’ve not only grown as a teacher but have taken on a leadership role as the Biology Department facilitator. I’ve worked to support my colleagues, improve our curriculum and adapt a sense of community and collaboration among our team. The relationships I’ve built—with both students and fellow educators—have become the heart of my professional life.
I never imagined this would be my path, but I’m so grateful it found me. Teaching has shown me that passion doesn’t always follow a straight line—it grows, evolves, and reveals itself in unexpected and beautiful ways. Today, I can confidently say that I don’t just teach biology—I live it, and I have the incredible privilege of helping young minds fall in love with it too.
Written by Azra Lakacha SSU Biology, Class of 2022
LOOKING BACK WITH FRED JEFFRIES
Since graduating from Salem State University, I’ve followed a path that reflects my enduring curiosity about the sciences and my commitment to patient care. My time at Salem State laid the groundwork for everything that followed, facilitating my love of learning and a desire to make a meaningful impact through medicine.
After earning my bachelor’s degree, I pursued a Master of Science in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Florida. There, my thesis was on identifying novel therapeutic targets in ESKAPE pathogen–mediated anticoagulation—a topic at the crossroads of infectious disease and host-pathogen interactions. This research helped me develop a deeper understanding of how resistant pathogens affect human physiology, and it further sparked my interest in bridging the gap between biomedical science and real-world clinical application.
Eager to work more directly with patients, I was accepted into the Physician Assistant program at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, where I am currently in my second year and set to graduate in October 2025. The program has been both rigorous and rewarding, offering a wide breadth of clinical experience in hospital and outpatient settings. Among all of my rotations, I’ve felt most at home in internal medicine and oncology, where complex problem-solving meets deeply human, longitudinal patient care.
A recent clinical rotation in solid tumor oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has had a profound impact on me. There, I worked closely with a multidisciplinary team dedicated not only to cutting-edge cancer treatment, but to delivering that care with compassion, clarity and respect. I was inspired by the depth of knowledge, clinical collaboration and focus on patient dignity that permeated every interaction. It confirmed my desire to build a career in oncology—and reinforced the value of every step along my academic journey.
I’ve recently begun a doctoral program in medical science (DMSc) at University of Pittsburg and accepted a position as an inpatient Hospitalist PA in Medical Oncology at Dana Farber in the Solid Tumor Division. It’s a full-circle moment, combining my early passion for biology (nurtured at Salem State), my research experience and my evolving identity as a clinician. I’m excited to take this next step and contribute to a field that blends scientific innovation with deeply personal care.
Looking back, I’m grateful for how Salem State prepared me to think critically, stay curious, and pursue big goals. The support I received there helped launch me toward a meaningful and dynamic career in medicine—and I carry those lessons with me every day.
Written by Fred Jeffries SSU Biology
SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH DAY May
2nd, 2025
This year’s Research Day was entitled: “Curiosity, Creativity, and Conversation”. Biology was well-represented by eleven student posters and one ‘lightning talk’.The photo above highlights the enjoyment that was felt by all.
Our one lightning talk was by graduating Senior, Isaiah Cortijo.
Evolutionary Insights into Parkinson’s Disease Illuminate Confounding Primary Literature, mentored by Prof. Juditha Burchsted.
The posters were as follows:
Attempted hybridization of native and non-native shrimp, Zachary Smith
Designing, building, and running an aquaculture system with shrimp, bivalves, and seaweed, Hailey Ano, Nicole Romero Guevara, Hannah Siegmund, Brooke Williamson
Designing, building, and running an aquaculture system with shrimp, crabs, and seaweed, Oscar Hawkes, Brianna Hughes, Anna Kamens
Herbivory Preferences of Littorina littorea on Invasive Versus Native Seaweed, Chloe Leano, Hannah Siegmund
All the above students were mentored by Prof. Lindsey Green-Gavrielidis.
Postoperative Outcomes in Chiari Malformation: Exploring Sensory Deficits and Motor Reflexes Jaiana Ohannesian, mentored by Prof. Gwen Scottgale.
Searching for Transcription Factors that Regulate Cilia Genes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Morelia Morel Diaz, Melanie Zimmermann
Characterizing and Backcrossing Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Cilia Mutants for Identification of Transcriptional Regulators
Brianna K. Skory, Melanie Zimmermann, Emi Pilla
Both the above poster students were mentored by Prof. Jason Brown.
Queer Reproductive and Sexual Strategies Observed in Nature and the Importance of LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Biology, Zayden Jansen mentored by Prof. Ryan Fisher.
Removal of fungal staining from old documents using a combination of surfactant and enzyme, Arshnoor Kaur mentored by professor Peter Alachi.
Complete chloroplast genome assembly and annotation of the medicinal plant Mandragora officinarum (Solanaceae), Arshnoor Kaur, Gio E. Corbett mentored by Prof. Jeremy Bechelli.
Molecular and Taxonomic Assessment of Red Algal Biodiversity and Introduced Species on Massachusetts’ North Shore, Olivia R. Davis, and Gio E. Corbett mentored by Prof. Thea R. Popolizio.
A MESSAGE FROM ALUMNUS JESSE MOREIRA-BOUCHARD,
PhD
Hello, SSU Biology faculty, students, and alumni!
My name is Dr. Jesse Moreira-Bouchard, and I am an alumnus of the SSU Biology program, receiving my BA in 2017. It’s been a whirlwind 8 years since then, but I am currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in Human Physiology at Boston University.
As I’m sure some of you are feeling or have felt, I loved science but around the time of my graduation from SSU was unsure what I wanted to do with my career. I debated going to medical school, nurse practitioner programs, or entry into the workforce. After much debate and some good advice from Prof. Emeritus Susan Case, I decided to pursue a passion topic in biology and get a Master’s degree next, which took me to Boston University. During my MS degree, I worked in the lab of the now-retired Prof. Susan Kandarian, studying the ways in which cytokine signaling causes skeletal muscle wasting in cancer cachexia. This foray into bench research ignited a passion in me and I knew I wanted more. Encouraged by my mentor, I applied to the PhD program in Physiology at BU and was accepted to start in the Fall of 2018.
During my PhD, I knew I wanted to study at the intersection of multiple organ systems. I began my thesis project studying how the nervous system, immune cells and kidneys worked together to regulate blood pressure and normal sodium balance. This unlocked a passion in me that has persisted to this day: studying hypertension.
Fast forward, and after graduation with my PhD in 2021, I began an NIH funded postdoctoral fellowship to gain more research skills with the hope of starting my own lab. Prof. Jessica Fetterman and Prof. Deepa Gopal at the BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine took me on and it was there that I built skills in human clinical research, working on a clinical trial investigating heart failure, and on the application of multiomioc techniques to better understand cardiac biology from postmortem human hearts!
After a brief 18 months as a postdoc, I saw a faculty position open at BU in the Human Physiology program, which had become an academic home away from home. I applied and was hired to start in January of 2023. That month, the Q.U.E.E.R. Lab was born. Together with another faculty member, I started a lab that would blend my love of human clinical research with hypertension and my personal identity as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community to study how stress in queer individuals drives hypertension. We have been to conferences, published lots of papers and graduated our first MS thesis student, and the work is just beginning!
My message to you all is pursue your passions with fervor, never let anyone tell you that you can’t do it, and watch as you make a change in science.
Written by Jesse Moreira-Bouchard, PhD SSU Biology, Class of 2017
Q&A WITH ARSHNOOR KAUR
What are your current feelings/ emotions about having graduated?
Graduating feels like a mix of excitement, relief and a bit of nervousness. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, especially as an international student navigating a lot of new experiences. I am nervous as I am looking forward to start a new chapter of my life which help me achieve my goals.
What is a highlight of your time at Salem State?
A major highlight was getting involved in research and working closely with my professors. Being able to apply what I learned in class in my research, especially in microbiology, which helped solidify my interest in the field.
What is a lowlight of your time at Salem State?
One low point was feeling isolated during my first year, especially as I adjusted to a new academic system and cultural environment. But over time, I built a strong support network that helped me feel more confident and connected.
What are your immediate (1-3 year) goals after graduation?
In the next few years, I plan to gain more hands-on research experience, ideally as a research assistant in a lab focused on microbiology or infectious disease. I’m also preparing to apply to graduate school so I can continue studying biomedical sciences, with a focus on global health and antibiotic resistance.
Q&A WITH ISAIAH CORTIJO
What are your current feelings/emotions about having graduated?
I’m both excited and saddened to move on from Salem State. If I could re-live my bachelor’s degree experience right from the very first day as a freshman, I would do it again! Every single faculty member and peer I met had a lasting impact on my academic and personal success, and I’m so very grateful to have been able to attend the school (and complete my attendance!)
What is a highlight of your time at Salem State?
Without a doubt, the Darwin Festival was consistently the highlight of every year at SSU for me as a biology student. With biology classes on pause, and the opportunity to see as many talks as we could from professors all over, it was a no-brainer that I’d be ecstatic to find out what talks I could go to that week when springtime came around!
What is a lowlight of your time at Salem State?
A lowlight for me was certainly attending through the beginning of the Pandemic in 2020. I continued my education at SSU briefly with online courses, but due to geographical circumstances, I ended up needing to transfer out of SSU. Fortunately, this was only temporary, and when I returned to SSU, I was unbelievably happy and welcomed with open arms again, able to feel right at home academically and complete my degree as if I had never left!
What
are your immediate (1-3
year) goals after graduation?
Now that I’ve graduated, I’ve been fortunate enough to have a job lined up working with young children diagnosed with Autism. With a future ideally in working with those with disabilities or uncommon mental-based diagnoses, this is an amazing opportunity for me, and I’m so glad to have found it! I owe it to all of the professional preparation and guidance I received while at SSU, particularly in my final semesters, taking Biology Seminar and Portfolio. It’s a bittersweet event to be starting my first job soon, and not preparing my next set of textbooks and materials for a semester, but I’m ready for positive growth, development and change and I’m going to face it head-on!
STUDENTS AND FACULTY ATTEND THE 2025 NORTHEAST ALGAL SYMPOSIUM IN FAYETTEVILLE, NY
In April, Prof. Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis and Prof. Thea Popolizio along with 4 undergraduate students (Olivia Davis ‘28, Chloe Leano ‘26, Hannah Siegmund ‘25, and Zachary Smith ‘27) attended the 2025 Northeast Algal Symposium in Fayetteville, NY. This annual conference of the Northeast Algal Society (NEAS) brings together over 100 faculty, professionals and students from across the northeastern US and Canada to share their research and build collaborative relationships.
The theme of the 2025 conference was Indigenous Knowledge in Phycology and featured Robin Wall Kimmerer, PhD (Potawatomi botanists, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at SUNY ESF), Rick McCourt, PhD (professor and curator of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University), and Prof. Raining White (member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe who works at the Leech Lake Division of Resource Management).
At the conference, Prof. Green-Gavrielidis, who has served as an elected member of the NEAS Executive Board and NEAS Treasurer since 2018, was awarded the Frank Shipley Collins award for meritorious service to the society and phycology in general. During the poster session, Olivia Davis ‘28 presented the research she has been doing with Prof. Popolizio on red algal biodiversity and introduced species of seaweeds on the North Shore.
Next year, Prof. Green-Gavrielidis and Prof. Popolizio will be hosting the 64th annual Northeast Algal Symposium here at Salem State University! If you are interested in getting involved with the conference, or attending, please contact them.
NEAS President, Prof. Brian Wysor (Roger Williams University) presents the 2025 Frank Shipley Collins Service Award to Prof. Green-Gavrielidis.
SSU faculty (Prof. Popolizio and Prof. Green-Gavrielidis) and students (Olivia Davis ‘28, Chloe Leano ‘26, Hannah Siegmund ‘25, and Zachary Smith ‘27) en route to the Northeast Algal Symposium.
SIGMA XI NORTH SHORE CHAPTER (NSC)
Salem State University (SSU) is one of three North Shore institutions that make up the North Shore Chapter of Sigma Xi (https://sites.google. com/view/north-shore-sigma-xi/ ). Students in the Biology, Chemistry and Physics and Geological Sciences Departments present at the annual research symposia and can become associate members.
The 16th Annual Research Symposium of the NSC was held on February 15th, 2025 in Vets Hall, Ellison Campus Center at SSU. This year’s keynote speaker was Biology’s own, Prof. Jeremy Bechelli. Prof. Bechelli delivered a very interesting talk entitled: “Colorado Tick Fever Virus and California Hare Coltivirus Infect and Induce Potent Antiviral and Proinflammatory Responses in HMEC-1 cells.”
Ten Biology students gave presentations as follows:
Oral presentations
Characterization and Backcrossing of Mutant Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with Ciliary Defects for Identification of Transcriptional Regulators
Brianna K. Skory, Melanie Zimmermann, Emi Pilla, Jason M. Brown*, Department of Biology, Salem State University, Salem, MA. * jbrown2@salemstate.edu.
Poster Presentations
An analysis of the carbon storage in cemetery trees: The impacts of full casket burial.
Rowan Collins*, Biology Department, Salem State University, 352 Lafayette St. Salem, MA 01970 A_collins7@salemstate.edu.
Using DNA barcoding to identify non-native red algae (Rhodophyta) on Massachusetts’ north shore. Gio E. Corbett1, Olivia Davis1, and *Thea R. Popolizio1. 1Biology Department, Salem State University, Salem, MA. tpopolizio@salemstate.edu
The Design, Construction and Assessment of a Flume to Collect Viable Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Seeds in Support of Eelgrass Restoration
Carina Delgado*, Brenna Dillon*, Ted Maney Biology Department, Salem State University, Salem MA, Jill Carr (Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Partnership), and Forest Schenck Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. b_dillon1@salemstate.edu
Removal of fungal staining from old documents using a combination of surfactant and enzyme. Arshnoor Kaur and Peter Alachi* Department of Biology, Salem State University, Salem, MA 01970, *palachi@salemstate.edu
Complete chloroplast genome assembly and annotation of the medicinal plant Mandragora officinarum (Solanaceae) Arshnoor Kaur, Gio E. Corbett, and Jeremy Bechelli* Department of Biology, Salem State University, Salem, MA 01970 jbechelli@salemstate.edu
Searching for New Transcription Factors that Regulate Genes Involved in the Building and Function of Cilia in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using CRISPR.
Morelia MorelDiaz†, Melanie Zimmermann†, Jason M. Brown* Department of Biology, Salem State University, Salem, MA. †co-presenters *jbrown2@salemstate.edu.
NATURE THROUGH THE LENS OF SCOTT WESTON
The Biology Department is characterized by intense curiosity, one of the most important hallmarks of a good biologist. Lab Specialist, Mr. Scott Weston, is a keen photographer of nature, having recently published a book on owls. He is depicted below alongside some of his owl photos in the Biology hallways and included are two of his favorite photographs.
Mr. Scott Weston and some of his owl photos opposite MH414.
The Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). The Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae) on Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca) flower.
THE LEGENDARY PROF. B.
At the end of Spring Semester 2025, Prof. Juditha Burchsted retired after 32 years of distinguished service to the students, faculty and programs of Salem State. Immensely creative, she wove a virtual tapestry of relationships among students, faculty and staff of the Biology Department, and throughout the University.
A key strand of this tapestry was interacting with students, helping them learn how to ask questions and find effective strategies to explore them. Many of us were in awe of her effectiveness. Recognized by the Honors Program in April, they named her “Best Thesis Advisor,” citing her ability guiding students to “think like a scientist”. Even serious questions could reflect artistry, such as overseeing a student thesis in the form of a children’s pop-up book on hox genes.
Another strand of this tapestry was her role in the department and university. She replaced a retiring faculty member who taught Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, and developed courses on Marine Mammals and Evolutionary Morphology. Committees included the Darwin Festival Committee, Premedical Advisory Committee, department Curriculum Committee and service on too many faculty evaluation committees to count.
As a mentor to many new faculty members, she offered suggestions on teaching and who to contact about problems. She touched base with people throughout the department regularly and remains in close contact with several retirees. Through work with the faculty union, she advocated for the rights of all faculty.
This is the briefest of descriptions of the rich, beautiful tapestry she wove. Brava!
