Carlyn Scott, College of Marine Science
Christa Baranowski is the newest graduate of the College of Marine Science. A lifelong Floridian, she has a deep connection to the ocean and was drawn to studying the local environment of Tampa Bay. Working in the Biogeochemistry & Omics of Marine Environments (BIOME) lab of Dreux Chappell, her master’s research examined the impact of the Piney Point wastewater disaster on microbial community composition using DNA sequencing techniques. At this semester’s commencement celebration, she will be awarded a Master of Science in marine science.
Baranowski was a two-time recipient of the Oceanography Especially for Girls fellowship, where she led hands-on marine science field trips across Tampa Bay.
A two-time recipient of the Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls fellowship, Baranowski also served as a counselor, leading field trips across Tampa Bay and facilitating hands-on marine science activities. Through this experience, she strengthened her teaching skills and gained the confidence to share her graduate research with students of all ages. She reflects on how her time at the College of Marine Science has shaped her career path and inspired her vision for her future in Florida.
Q. Why did you pursue marine science as a field?
A. As a born-and-raised Floridian, the ocean means a lot to me and has been present in many of my formative moments — learning, connecting, relaxing, grieving, and celebrating. It only felt right to study the ocean and how we interact with it. When my undergraduate degree in biology didn’t take me as far as I had hoped during COVID-19, I decided to prepare for graduate school.
Q. What is your research?
A. My master's degree focused on investigating the changes in microbial community composition within Tampa Bay in response to the Piney Point emergency discharges from 2021 by using a type of DNA sequencing called amplicon sequencing. Basically, we looked at DNA sequences to determine what organisms are in the water, and how that changed over time and across the bay. Although the samples were obtained before I started grad school, I learned how to conduct bioinformatic processing on the sequencing data, making it comparable and testable for my project. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to look at the microbial changes of the Piney Point discharges via sequencing, and we plan on publishing the results!
In addition to OCG, Baranowski presented her research at local elementary schools where she further honed her teaching and science communication skills.
Q. What about your field is exciting to you?
A. Biological oceanography is exciting to me because it’s not just one thing — it’s an amalgamation of all the branches of oceanography. I was able to learn how biology impacts, and is impacted by, physics, geology, and chemistry in the ocean. It’s an incredibly versatile field, allowing for collaboration and insight from many other areas of research.
My project, in particular, was exciting because it combined nutrient analysis, plankton, microbes, and an environmental disturbance. As a lifelong Floridian, protecting the state’s natural environment and wildlife is extremely important to me.
Baranowski was taught tools and techniques, such as how to use this stadia rod to measure the beach elevation at Honeymoon Island, as part of the OCG field trips.
Q. How has your time at the College of Marine Science positively impacted your life and career?
A. Besides having an amazing advisor, an incredible lab, and having made great friends and colleagues, I was awarded the Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls fellowship twice, which allowed me to participate in the most amazing summer camp! OCG brings together scientists, educators, and the community to share our knowledge about the ocean and our coasts through hands-on activities, field trips, sample collection, and presentations, giving campers invaluable insight into what it means to be an oceanographer. My favorite part has been watching campers hold their first fish and how their confidence grows by the end of camp, not only in holding fish, but in themselves and their capabilities.
Another incredible opportunity was being a part of the science crew on my first research cruise. The week-long cruise to the West Florida Shelf – the farthest into the Gulf I've ever been on a vessel – opened my eyes to how much work goes into researching our oceans. A cool plus was the interaction we had with a huge pod of pilot whales hanging around the vessel between sample processing. I was also recruited by other graduate student colleagues from the college — who are now my friends — to participate in fieldwork and lab work. This was incredibly informative to learn about the experiences of other grad students and helped create a sense of community.
Q. What are your plans for post-graduation?
A. Dreux and I are working on publishing my thesis work, but I am primarily looking for a career position where I can apply what I've learned from my research, participate in lab and field work, and do community outreach to help benefit Florida's nature and wildlife.