Alumni Profiles
Ann Arfken, Ph.D. in Marine Science '18
If there’s an outbreak of brain-eating amoebas, it’s good to know there’s a graduate of the Batten School & VIMS on the case. Arfken uses bioinformatic skills refined in graduate school to investigate outbreak origins with the Center for Disease Control.
Felipe Arzayus, M.S. in Marine Science ‘00
Arzayus traded submarines for research samples when he left the U.S. Navy and pursued a marine science education at the Batten School & VIMS. Today, Arzayus heads NOAA’s national monitoring and assessment of chemical contaminants in coastal areas.
Joshua Bearman, M.S. in Marine Science '08
Realizing that research and academia weren't his passion, Bearman used his graduate degree to chart a path from music to public school education, and now to non-profit work providing environmental knowledge to students through experiential learning.
Katherine Bemis, Ph.D. in Marine Science '19
Bemis defended her dissertation on a Friday and started at NOAA’s Systematics Lab, based in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, the following Monday. She works to connect research in systematics and taxonomy with fisheries management.
Pamela Braff, Ph.D. in Marine Science '20
Braff uses her Batten School & VIMS education to direct climate programs for the City of Olympia. "Local work and local government have never been more important than they are today," she said. "I personally would love to see more graduates going into this space."
Kacey Clayton, M.A. in Marine Science '23
Exemplifying that a marine science degree can be used in diverse careers, Clayton leveraged her Batten School & VIMS degree to earn a prestigious Knauss Fellowship in the office of the NOAA administrator and start a career centered around conservation policy and grants.
Evan Flynn, Ph.D. in Marine Science '25
Contrary to prevailing thought that turbulent coastal zones oxidize and release much of the sedimentary carbon as CO₂, data from Flynn's pivotal doctoral research suggested that significant quantities of organic carbon are actually being buried offshore.
Gail Fricano, M.S. in Marine Science ‘01
Crediting her W&M education and the Batten School & VIMS alumni network, Fricano has built a career in environmental consulting, specializing in habitat restoration, natural resource damage assessment, site remediation and oil spill investigations.
Nihal Guennouni, M.S. in Marine Science '25
Guennouni’s master’s thesis focused on how Chesapeake Bay blue crab cannibalism affects the spread of a parasitic disease and overall population dynamics. Guennouni now works as a marine scientist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Richard Holmquist, M.S. in Marine Science '01
What began as part-time fieldwork led to a graduate degree and ultimately launched a career in satellite remote sensing, maritime surveillance and geographic intelligence, culminating in Holmquist’s current role as a director of sales for the Americas.
Thomas Ihde, Ph.D. in Marine Science '06
As a research assistant professor at Morgan State University’s Patuxent Environmental and Aquatic Research Laboratory (PEARL), Ihde specializes in Chesapeake Bay research, a field in which he developed expertise while earning his doctorate at the Batten School & VIMS.
Shantelle Landry, M.S. in Marine Science ’21
At the Batten School & VIMS, Landry discovered an abundance of opportunities to hone her science communication skills, which led to her current role as a senior science educator at The Mariners' Museum and Park where she oversees 6th and 9th grade programs.
Claudia Moncada-Wireman, M.A. in Marine Science ’23
Leaning on experiences from her time at the Batten School & VIMS, Moncada-Wireman leads educational programs at The Mariners' Museum and Park as a senior science educator. "All of it comes together in a really magical way," she said.
Amy Nicholson, M.A. in Marine Science '24
Nicholson uses a theater background to bring science lessons to life at the Virginia Living Museum following graduation from the Batten School & VIMS. “It’s so much fun,” she said, “and what I learned at VIMS was so useful for teaching at the Living Museum."
David Niebuhr, Ph.D. in Marine Science '99
Niebuhr’s entrepreneurial spirit and love for marine biology motivated a lifelong commitment to educational programming. Today, as chief operating officer at the Virginia Living Museum, Niebuhr continues to lean on lessons learned while earning his M.S. and Ph.D.
Adele Pile, Ph.D. in Marine Science '96
As a former firefighter, Pile found the Batten School & VIMS to be a perfect match for her trailblazing spirit. She conducted groundbreaking research and became a renowned marine scientist before starting a royally recognized ecotourism business.
John Pohlman, Ph.D. in Marine Science '06
Pohlman continued work at the Naval Research Laboratory while earning his Ph.D. at the Batten School & VIMS. Now a research chemist on the Gas Hydrate Project for the USGS, he recently reflected on successfully merging professional projects and academic interests.
Daniel Royster, M.A. in Marine Science '25
Volunteering turned into part-time work, which turned into a full-time job and then enrollment in graduate school to study American Shad in the James River. After graduation, Royster accepted a position with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
Alex Schneider, Ph.D. in Marine Science '24
Schneider's dissertation investigated contributing factors to the blue crab population's recent rebound. She now works for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the U.S. Department of the Interior evaluating fisheries related to offshore renewable energy programs in the Atlantic.
Kristen Sharpe, M.S. in Marine Science '22
What started as part-time work in education for Kristen Sharpe turned into a full-time job at the Batten School & VIMS, which then inspired Sharpe to earn her own degree from the school. Today she serves as our Assistant Director of Outreach and Engagement.
William Shoup, M.A. in Marine Science '23
Shoup sees a clear connection from his Batten School & VIMS experiences to his current work in renewable energy, where he liaisons between an energy company and the communities in which they build solar and wind projects.
Erin Spencer, minor in marine science '14
As one of the first W&M undergraduates to earn a minor in marine science, Spencer’s educational path has developed her into a world-class ecologist, National Geographic explorer, children’s book author and marine restoration communicator.
Caitlin Sughrue, minor in marine science '24
Sughrue contributed significantly to the Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Program while conducting research of her own. After graduation from the Batten School & VIMS, Sughrue joined the National Parks Service’s Scientists in Parks program.
Aswani Volety, Ph.D. in Marine Science '95
From starting out as a young marine scientist in India to becoming Chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), Volety’s distinguished career underscores the global impact of a Batten School & VIMS education.
Michael Wagner, M.S. in Marine Science ‘97
Inspired by a thesis committee member who emphasized evolutionary history, and another who studied environmental influences, Wagner today applies his expertise to developing applied solutions to the problem of invasive species in the Great Lakes.