- About
- With 500+ faculty, staff and students and three campus locations, the Batten School & VIMS are equipped to tackle pressing challenges through research, education and advisory service.
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- Research & Advisory
- Purple marsh crabs are significantly disrupting carbon cycling in salt marshes along the East Coast of the U.S., according to a study led by Batten School & VIMS scientists.
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- Batten School
- The R. Todd Stravitz Scholars Program will provide full tuition support for students pursuing the new bachelor’s degree in coastal & marine sciences at the Batten School & VIMS.
  
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- Engage
- Popular, free camps enable rising third through eighth graders to learn about the Chesapeake Bay, coastal ecosystems and environmental stewardship.
  
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- News & Events
- National TRAP Program funds large-scale cleanup of discarded fishing gear, first round of subawards totaling more than $1.4M supports 11 projects focused on removing derelict fishing gear from coastal waters in nine U.S. states and Palau.
  
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- Giving
- As an expression of parental pride in their daughter, Taylor Spencer ‘83 and Martha Spencer recently established an undergraduate field research endowment at the Batten School & VIMS.
  
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Leslie Speight Youtsey

Ph.D. Student

Email: [[v|lgspeight]]
Office: CBH N205
Advisors: {{https://www.vims.edu/about/directory/faculty/mcdowell_jr.php,Jan McDowell}} and {{https://www.vims.edu/about/directory/faculty/reece_ks.php,Kim Reece}}
Interests: Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Transcriptomics, Aquaculture, Shellfish, Clams, Bay Scallops

Education

B.S., Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Iowa, 2020
M.S., Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, W&M, 2023