As an Assistant Scientist at the University of Miami's Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) and NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), I am leveraging the Experimental Reef Laboratory and advanced molecular techniques to assess coral resilience and stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) susceptibility. My postdoctoral fellowship characterized the responses of corals to SCTLD and intervention strategies using RNA-Seq gene expression profiling and 3D modeling. My dissertation research examined the ecology of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs, 30 – 150m), specifically the genetic connectivity among shallow and mesophotic reefs and the role of phenotypic plasticity in coral adaptation to depth, as part of the research objectives of NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology (CIOERT).

​My long-term goals include incorporating advanced 'omics techniques into assessments of ecological connectivity and coral health across populations and encouraging conservation of reef resources through effective research, monitoring, and management. 
EDUCATION
2018          Ph.D., Integrative Biology 
                   Florida Atlantic University

2016          M.S., Biological Sciences 
                   Florida Atlantic University

2011          B.A., Biology
                   St. Mary's College of Maryland
                   Minors: Film & Media Studies, Environmental Studies
PUBLICATIONS
  1. Studivan MS, Eckert RJ, Shilling E, Soderberg N, Enochs IC, Voss JD (in revision) Evaluating stony coral tissue loss disease intervention success through whole-transcriptome gene expression profiling. Authorea preprint: 10.22541/au.167611685.56584824/v1
  2. Morris JT; Enochs IC; Studivan MS; Young BD; Mayfield A; Soderberg N; Traylor-Knowles N; Kolodziej G; Manzello D (in revision) Ocean acidification influences the gene expression and physiology of two Caribbean bioeroding sponges. Global Change Biology
  3. Sturm AS, Eckert RJ, Carreiro A, Klein A, Studivan MS, Dodge-Farelli D, Simões N, González-Díaz P, González Méndez J, Voss JD (in revision) Does depth divide? Variable genetic connectivity patterns among shallow and mesophotic Montastraea cavernosa coral populations across the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean. Molecular Ecology
  4. Enochs IC, Studivan MS, Kolodziej G, Foord C, Basden I, Boyd A, Formel N, Kirkland A, Rubin E, Jankulak M, Smith I, Kelble C, Manzello D (2023) Coral persistence despite marginal conditions in the Port of Miami. Scientific Reports 13:6759 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-33467-7 PDF
  5. Robertson EP, Walsh DP, Martin J, Work TM, Kellogg CA, Evans JS, Barker V, Hawthorn A, Aeby G, Paul VJ, Walker BK, Kiryu Y, Woodley CM, Meyer JL, Rosales SM, Studivan MS, Moore JF, Brandt ME, Bruckner A (2023) Rapid prototyping for quantifying belief weights of competing hypotheses about emergent diseases. Journal of Environmental Management 337:117668 doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117668 PDF
  6. Johnston MA, Studivan MS, Enochs IC, Correa AMS, Besemer N, Eckert RJ, Edwards K, Hannum R, Hu X, Nuttall M, O'Connell K, Palacio-Castro AM, Schmahl GP, Sturm AB, Ushijima B, Voss JD (2023) Coral disease outbreak at the remote Flower Garden Banks, Gulf of Mexico. ​Frontiers in Marine Science 10:1111749 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1111749 PDF
  7. ​​Studivan MS, Baptist M, Molina V, Riley S, First M, Soderberg N, Rubin E, Rossin A, Holstein D, Enochs IC (2022) Transmission of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) in simulated ballast water confirms the potential for ship-born spread. Scientific Reports 12:19248 10.1038/s41598-022-21868-z PDF
  8. Traylor-Knowles N, Baker AC, Beavers KM, Garg N, Guyon JR, Hawthorn A, MacKnight NJ, Medina M, Mydlarz LD, Peters EC, Stewart JM, Studivan MS, Voss JD (2022) Advances in immunity ‘omics in response to coral disease outbreaks. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:952199 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.952199 PDF
  9. Studivan MS, Rossin AM, Rubin E, Soderberg N, Holstein DM, Enochs IC (2022) Reef sediments can act as a stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) vector. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:815698 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.815698 PDF
  10. Kolodziej G, Studivan MS, Gleason ACR, Langdon C, Enochs IC, Manzello DP (2021) Impacts of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) on coral community structure at an inshore patch reef of the upper Florida Keys using photomosaics. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:682163 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.682163 PDF
  11. Combs IR, Studivan MS, Eckert RJ, Voss JD (2021) Quantifying impacts of stony coral tissue loss disease on corals in Southeast Florida through surveys and 3D photogrammetry. PLOS ONE 16(6): e0252593 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252593 PDF
  12. Studivan MS, Shatters A, Dodge DL, Beal JL, Voss JD (2021) Synergistic effects of thermal stress and estuarine discharge on transcriptomic variation of Montastraea cavernosa corals in southeast Florida. ​Frontiers in Marine Science 8:662220 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.662220 PDF
  13. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2020) Transcriptomic plasticity of mesophotic corals among natural populations and transplants of Montastraea cavernosa in the Gulf of Mexico and Belize. ​Molecular Ecology 29:2399–2415 doi: 10.1111/mec.15495 PDF​
  14. Dodge DL, Studivan MS, Eckert RJ, Chei E, Beal J, Voss JD (2020) Population structure of the scleractinian coral Montastraea cavernosa in southeast Florida. Bulletin of Marine Science 96:767–782 doi: 10.5343/bms.2019.0074 PDF​
  15. Eckert RJ, Reaume AM, Sturm AB, Studivan MS, Voss JD (2020) Depth influences Symbiodiniaceae associations among Montastraea cavernosa corals on the Belize Barrier Reef. Frontiers in Microbiology 11:518 doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00518 PDF
  16. Eckert RJ, Studivan MS, Voss JD (2019) Populations of the coral species Montastraea cavernosa on the Belize Barrier Reef lack vertical connectivity. ​Scientific Reports ​9:7200 doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-43479-x PDF
  17. Studivan MS, Milstein G, Voss JD (2019) Montastraea cavernosa corallite structure demonstrates distinct morphotypes across shallow and mesophotic depth zones in the Gulf of Mexico. ​PLOS ONE 14:e0203732 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203732 PDF
  18. Reed JK, González-Díaz P, Busutil L, Farrington S, Martínez-Daranas B, Cobián Rojas D, Voss JD, Diaz C, David A, Hanisak MD, González Mendez J, García Rodríguez A, González- Sánchez P, Viamontes Fernández J, Estrada Pérez D, Studivan MS, Drummond F, Jiang M, Pomponi SA (2018) Cuba’s mesophotic coral reefs and associated fish communities. Revista de Investigaciones Marinas 38:56–125 PDF
  19. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2018) Population connectivity among shallow and mesophotic Montastraea cavernosa corals in the Gulf of Mexico identifies potential for population refugia. Coral Reefs 37:1183–1196 doi: 10.1007/s00338-018-1733-7 PDF
  20. Studivan MS (2018) Genetic connectivity and phenotypic plasticity of shallow and mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. PhD dissertation, Florida Atlantic University. 257 pp. PDF
  21. Garavelli L, Studivan MS, Voss JD, Kuba A, Figueiredo J, Chérubin L (2018) Assessment of mesophotic coral ecosystem connectivity for proposed expansion of a marine sanctuary in the northwest Gulf of Mexico: larval dynamics. Frontiers in Marine Science 5:174 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00174 PDF
  22. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2018) Assessment of mesophotic coral ecosystem connectivity for proposed expansion of a marine sanctuary in the northwest Gulf of Mexico: population genetics. Frontiers in Marine Science 5:152 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00152 PDF
  23. Reed JD, Farrington S, González-Díaz P, Busutil López L, Martínez-Daranas B, Cobián Rojas D, Voss JD, Hanisak MD, Diaz C, Jiang M, David A, Drummond F, Studivan MS, González Mendez J, García Rodríguez A, González-Sanchez PM, Viamontes Fernández J, Horn L, White J, Pomponi SA (2017) Cuba’s Twilight Zone Reefs: Remotely Operated Vehicle Surveys of Deep/Mesophotic Coral Reefs And Associated Fish Communities of Cuba, Joint Cuba-U.S. Expedition, R/V F.G. Walton Smith, May 14–June 13, 2017. NOAA CIOERT Report to NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 510 pp. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Technical Report Number 183 PDF
  24. ​​Studivan MS, Hatch WI, Mitchelmore CL (2015) Responses of the soft coral Xenia elongata following acute exposure to a chemical dispersant. SpringerPlus 4:80 doi: 10.1186/s40064-015-0844-7 PDF
FIRST-AUTHOR CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
  1. Studivan MS, Soderberg N, Chomitz B, Boyd A, Rubin E, Kiel P, Kolodziej G, Enochs IC (2023) Evaluating resilience of corals from urbanized environments in the Port of Miami. 51st Benthic Ecology Meeting, Miami, Florida. Oral
  2. Studivan MS, Soderberg N, Chomitz B, Boyd A, Rubin E, Kiel P, Kolodziej G, Enochs IC (2022) Experimental evaluation of resilience characteristics of corals from marginal environments in the Port of Miami. 2022 Reef Futures, Key Largo, FL. ​Oral
  3. ​​Studivan MS, Eckert RJ, Shilling E, Soderberg N, Enochs IC, Voss JD (2022) Optimizing stony coral tissue loss disease intervention strategies through whole-transcriptome gene expression profiling. 15th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bremen, Germany. Oral
  4. Studivan MS, Rossin AM, Rubin E, Soderberg N, Holstein DM, Enochs IC (2021) Can reef sediments serve as a stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) reservoir? 74th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference, Online. Oral https://youtu.be/6cI6L_Yv24A
  5. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2019) Mesophotic-omics: integrating transcriptomics, transplants, & algal symbiosis to understand coral adaptation in the Gulf of Mexico. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL. Poster
  6. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2018) Mesophotic-omics: integrating transcriptomics, transplants, and population genomics to understand connectivity of coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. Mesophotic Coral Reef Ecosystems Gordon Research Conference, Lewiston, ME. Poster​
  7. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2017) A depth of differences? Transplants and transcriptomic analyses of shallow and mesophotic corals. European Coral Reef Symposium, Oxford, UK. Oral
  8. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2017) Integrating population genetics and gene expression profiling to describe connectivity of a depth generalist coral species in the Gulf of Mexico and West Florida Shelf. 38th Meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Poster​
  9. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2017) Population genetics & gene expression reveal broad connectivity among shallow & mesophotic reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. 47th Benthic Ecology Meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC. Oral
  10. Studivan MS, O’Neal G, Voss JD (2017) Plasticity, ecomorphs, & adaptation? Montastraea cavernosa has shallow & depth-generalist morphotypes across mesophotic reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. 47th Benthic Ecology Meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC. Oral
  11. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2017) Gene flow in the twilight zone: assessing genetic connectivity of a depth generalist coral species across shallow and mesophotic reef ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Global Biodiversity Genomics Conference, Washington, DC. Poster
  12. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2016) Comparing genetic connectivity and gene expression across shallow and mesophotic reef corals in the Gulf of Mexico. 13th International Coral Reef Symposium, Honolulu, HI. Oral
  13. Studivan MS (2016) Assessment of the OpenROV platform for exploration of mesophotic coral reefs and monitoring of technical divers. Graduate and Professional Student Association Research Day, Boca Raton, FL. Poster
  14. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2015) Connectivity and plasticity of mesophotic corals in the Gulf of Mexico. Graduate and Professional Student Association Research Day, Boca Raton, FL. Poster
  15. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2015) Connectivity and plasticity of mesophotic corals in the Gulf of Mexico. 45th Benthic Ecology Meeting, Quebec City, Canada. Poster
  16. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2014) Connectivity and plasticity of mesophotic corals in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Graduate and Professional Student Association Research Day, Boca Raton, FL. Poster
  17. Studivan MS, Voss JD (2014) A reciprocal transplant experiment with a mesophotic coral species. ​44th Benthic Ecology Meeting, Jacksonville, FL. Oral
  18. Studivan MS, Hatch WI, Mitchelmore CL (2011) Effects of the oil dispersant Corexit EC9500A on bleaching of the alcyonacean soft coral Xenia elongata. Sigma Xi Annual Meeting, Raleigh, NC. Poster
  19. Studivan MS, Hatch WI, Mitchelmore CL (2011) Effects of the oil dispersant Corexit EC9500A on bleaching of the alcyonacean soft coral Xenia elongata. Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 21st Biennial Conference, Daytona Beach, FL. Poster
  20. Studivan MS, Hatch WI, Mitchelmore CL (2011) The effect of the oil dispersant Corexit EC9500A on bleaching of the alcyonacean soft coral Xenia elongata. Atlantic Estuarine Research Society Spring Meeting, Solomons, MD. Oral
FUNDING
$147,582
​$1,017,562
$866,696
$780,000
​$109,827
$100,000
$117,495
​$1,000
$2,500
$500
$250
$17,354
$1,500
$2,500
$12,500
$1,876
$28,000
$1,000
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, SCTLD Environmental Cofactors (co-PI)
​NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 'Omics, Restoring Resilient Reefs (co-PI)
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, SCTLD Resistance in Restoration Genotypes (co-PI)
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, Coral Disease Abatement (co-PI)
Environmental Protection Agency, SCTLD Ballast Water Transmission (PI)
National Marine Fisheries Service, Port of Miami Coral Mitigation (PI)
NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 'Omics, SCTLD Transmission (co-PI)
Division of Research Dissertation Year Award, Florida Atlantic University
Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence, Florida Atlantic University
Lutz Memorial Scholarship, Florida Atlantic University
Southern Association of Marine Laboratories Student Support
Comprehensive Land Observation via Unmanned Drone (CLOUD)
GRIP Grant for OpenROV reef surveys, Florida Atlantic University
Marine Technology Society Bussman Graduate Scholarship
President’s Challenge Scholarship, Florida Atlantic University
Reid Nix Endowed Scholarship, Florida Atlantic University
Teaching Assistantship, Florida Atlantic University​
Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research
AWARDS

Best Student Poster, Mesophotic Coral Reef Ecosystems Gordon Research Conference
Three Minute Thesis Heat Second Runner-Up, Florida Atlantic University
Best Student Oral Presentation, 13th International Coral Reef Symposium
Film “Black & Blue: Estuarine Discharge on St. Lucie Reef” selected for screening at Beneath the Waves Film Festival, Portland, ME
Film “Exploring Twilight Reefs of the Flower Garden Banks” selected for screening at the BLUE Gulf Film Festival, Corpus Christi, TX
Outstanding Graduate Student Poster, 44th Benthic Ecology Meeting
Biology Department Award, Overall Excellence in an Oral Presentation of a St. Mary’s Project, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Biology Department Award, Academic Distinction and Service, St. Mary’s College of Maryland