Fiona joined the Acquafredda lab as a 2025 RIOS intern. Through the RIOS program, Fiona studied the impact of elevated water temperature on the growth and survival of four different genetic crosses of the Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima). She continued this research into the fall through an independent study project, where she simulating long-term warming trends and evaluated surfclam performance. Fiona graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in May of 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Spanish. After graduation, she is pursuing a year of service with the Colorado Vincentian Volunteers in Denver, Colorado.
Learn more about the Rutgers University Research Internship in Ocean Sciences (RIOS), a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) program, here: https://marine.rutgers.edu/rios/