Amanda Buerger

Alexis Wormington
Amanda is a PhD candidate in the Department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida.  She is originally from Ohio, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.  She is currently working to understand water quality and its effects on human and environmental health and she hopes to one day take what she has learned to the environmental consulting field.  Her current research focuses on mechanisms by which phthalates, which are used as plasticizers in many different products, may contribute to obesity, and includes studies of important genes related to metabolism, lipids, and the gut microbiome.  Amanda believes that scientific communication to and engagement of general audiences is vital for the success of science and a healthy world. In her free time, she likes to go to Disney World, eat delicious food, watch football, and play with her dog, Theo. ​

​
Alexis is a PhD candidate in the department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida. She graduated as a distinguished honors scholar from the University of North Texas, where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology and published an undergraduate thesis regarding the phototoxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Her graduate work focuses on the interactions of emerging contaminants in aquatic ecosystems using fish as model species. Outside of her research, Alexis enjoys writing, and hopes to use her skills as a writer to make science more engaging and accessible to community members.  
​
Alexis' personality is characterized by her love of felines, and when she's not in the laboratory you can find her admiring pictures of her two pet cats, Melody and Gohan. 

Sara Humes

​ Sara Humes is a PhD candidate at the University of Florida in the Department of Environmental and Global Health, pursuing a PhD in Public Health with a One Health focus. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sara completed her undergraduate studies at Allegheny College (Meadville, Pennsylvania) in Biology, with minors in Spanish and Global Health Studies. Her PhD research is at the interface of toxicology and infectious disease, studying how inhalation exposure to carbon nanotubes impacts host susceptibility to Influenza A virus. Her other public health interests include vaccines and emerging infectious diseases. When she's not in the lab or studying, Sara enjoys drinking coffee, knitting, eating ice cream, and watching baseball with her husband.

Danielle L. Ivey

Danielle is a second year PhD student in the College of Environmental and Global Health/One Health program. Currently, under Dr. Chris Vulpe, she studies metals and metal mixtures through two projects. In one project, in collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines, she examines how metal mixtures found in acid mine drainage behave and how they affect Daphnia magna gene transcription. In the other metal project, working in collaboration with the University of Ghent in Belgium, she works with copper exposed Daphnia magna to compare the genetic affects between two strains at varying pH. She also has several side projects including an iron fortified algae study and a study working to develop an environmental DNA assay to detect endangered small and large tooth sawfish. Danielle very much enjoys volunteer work and outreach, has several volunteer mentoring positions, and has racked up 3 years volunteer time working at a tiger sanctuary in central Florida. 

Faith Lambert

Devrah Arndt
Faith Lambert received her MS studying stingray and shark physiology at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she developed an interest in the study of hormones (also known as endocrinology). Shortly after, she began working at the Wildlife Endocrinology Laboratory at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, where she assisted in monitoring animal welfare and conducting conservation research. Faith is currently a PhD student at the University of Florida (UF) and is now interested in studying endocrinology from a slightly different perspective: how certain environmental contaminants act like hormones and produce adverse effects in wildlife. She is also passionate about science education and teaches high-school science programs at UF during the summer. In her free time, Faith loves spending time on the water or enjoying the outdoors with her German Shepherd side-kick, Blitz! 
Devrah is a post-doctoral associate at the Center for Environmental Toxicology at UF. She received her doctorate in freshwater sciences from the University of Wisconsin in 2014, and her doctoral and post-doctoral work has focused on nanomaterial toxicology. Basically, when things get really small their chemical and physical properties can change, and Devrah’s research investigates how the novel properties of nanomaterials influences their behavior and toxicity when they are released into the environment. When she is not working, Devrah enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, and reading Stephen King novels. 

Nima Madani

Chloe Lloyd
Nima Madani is a 2nd year PhD student at the University of Florida in Dr. Tara Sabo-Attwood’s lab. He did his undergrad at the Georgia Institute of Technology where he studied biochemistry. Being from Atlanta his whole life, Nima chose to come down to Gainesville, Florida to step outside his comfort zone. The biggest change he has noticed is how friendly the people of Gainesville are. When Nima is not in the lab working, you can find him all around Gainesville exploring the city and all it has to offer.  ​
Chloe is a second year Master of Public Health student in the Department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology. Growing up in South Florida, Chloe has a natural affinity for the ocean. Her passion for marine biology led to an internship (and ultimately a full-time research position) with the Ocean Research and Conservation Association in Fort Pierce, FL. During this time, Chloe was introduced to environmental toxicology and shifted her research interests to the toxic effects of harmful algae blooms on human and environmental health. Chloe loves the outdoors and can usually be found on the water. Her favorite activities include: exploring the springs, boating with friends, wakeboarding, and taking her dog, Dutchess, to the beach. 

Adriana Cheraso

Adriana is a first-year master’s student in the Department of Environmental and Global Health/One Health Program. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and social welfare from the University of North Florida in 2015. Adriana worked in the nonprofit sector where she provided emergency services to victims of domestic violence and was also a benefits counselor to working recipients of Social Security. She decided to go back to school in 2018 to pursue her other interests, studying the environment and human health. She has always had a passion for the environment and enjoys helping others in any way that she can. Her interests are currently related to water and air quality. Adriana has gotten involved in a greenspace project spearheaded by Dr. Sabo-Attwood. The project involves measuring air quality in an area that is being considered for a park for children that are patients of the Shands hospital. Adriana is happiest when she can combine her love for the outdoors with education and awareness to the community.