Research fellow: Ryan Quinn
Hometown: Coventry, RI
Major: Biological Sciences
School: University of Rhode Island
Mentors: Serena Moseman-Valtierra & Rose Martin
Project: How does invasive species introduction affect carbon cycling in coastal marshes

The summer before her last undergraduate semester in college, Ryan Quinn is researching how ribbed mussels influence the soil biogeochemistry — processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment — and greenhouse gases in coastal marshes.

Deftly explaining the filter-feeding capacity of mussels, the role of nitrogen, and carbon emission and uptake, Quinn hardly seems like the science hater she said she was in high school, when poor grades drove her disinterest.

“I wanted to be a nurse,” she said, referring to her original undergraduate plan. “I took a nursing chemistry class and it made me so excited that I switched to biology.”

Earlier in her undergraduate experience, Quinn received a Coastal Fellowship, which piqued her interest in ecology. She earned a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) with Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR last summer and again in 2015.

This time around, Quinn is working in the lab of URI Assistant Professor Serena Moseman-Valtierra, Department of Biological Sciences, under the guidance of Ph.D. student and former EPSCoR graduate fellow Rose Martin. Among her findings, Quinn said, mussels don’t seem to be playing a big part in the greenhouse gas fluxes, although research does show that ribbed mussels grow larger when there is more nitrogen.

“The mussels don’t seem to be doing anything special with nitrogen,” Quinn said. “The fluxes tend to trend more with the soil variables. We’re seeing some trends, but we’re not sure why.”

The questions point to the need for more research into what is taking place and why, she noted. Her poster presentation at the Friday, July 31, 8^th Annual RI SURF Conference will look at how ribbed mussels did not influence or drive greenhouse gas emission in mud flats.

Although she is not new to research, Quinn said was gaining new lab and field techniques this summer along with continuing to reap the benefits of being mentored.

“I really enjoyed being able to spend time, going through something that I aspire to do,” said Quinn. “I’m realizing how much fun science can be.”

Quinn will graduate in December and intends to pursue graduate school, but still is contemplating her direction: “I really like the fields I’ve been in, but I’m also interested in toxicology and pathogens in ocean water.”

Story and photo by Amy Dunkle