MEES IN THE NEWS

AUGUST 2026 - aquaculture & marine ecology month

NEWS ARCHIVE

MEES RESEARCH CENTER

from waste to renewable energy: the science of ecological engineering

dr. stephanie lansing (UMCP)

Dr. Stephanie Lansing is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST) at the University of Maryland College Park and a faculty member in the Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences (MEES) graduate program. An expert in ecological engineering and waste-to-energy technologies, Dr. Lansing studies the complex systems at the nexus of renewable energy, water quality, waste treatment, and human health. Her research integrates ecological principles and advanced bioprocessing technologies to better understand how organic waste streams can be effectively managed to reduce environmental impacts and generate sustainable bioproducts. Dr. Lansing earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from the University of Oklahoma before completing her master's and doctoral studies in Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering at The Ohio State University. Since joining the University of Maryland, she has established the Bioenergy and Bioprocessing Technology Laboratory. Her work has significantly advanced the understanding of anaerobic digestion systems, strengthening the biocircular economy through projects that process agricultural manures, food waste, algae, and municipal wastewater.A hallmark of Dr. Lansing's research is its highly applied and interdisciplinary nature. By linking biological engineering with environmental chemistry and sustainability life cycle assessments, she has developed innovative solutions for bioplastic formation from waste, nutrient management and capture, and tracking antimicrobial resistance in agricultural systems. Her research provides critical scientific guidance and practical technologies that help resource managers, farmers, and municipal leaders optimize waste management, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve community resilience.Throughout her career, Dr. Lansing has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed scientific publications and delivered over 150 presentations worldwide. Most recently Dr. Lansing published two notable papers detailing the synthesis of eco-friendly polyhydroxyalkanoates from waste and advanced analytical frameworks for municipal solid waste resource recovery. She has also garnered significant professional accolades, including her induction as a Fellow into the American Ecological Engineering Society and regional recognition for the Piscataway Bioenergy Project's "poop to power" initiative.   Additionally, she has served as the President of the American Ecological Engineering Society and works closely with state initiatives as Vice Chair of the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council.As a faculty member in the MEES program, Dr. Lansing has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in ecological engineering, waste-to-energy pathways, and environmental microbiology. Her work through institutions like the Global FEWture Alliance continues to pioneer technology-based solutions that transform waste into critical resources like renewable electricity, heat, and eco-friendly bioplastics—equipping the next generation of environmental scientists to tackle global challenges at the intersection of food, energy, and water.or more on Dr. Lansing, please click here.

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advancing aquaculture: innovative technologies for fish reproduction

hilla turbowicz (PH.D., ‘26)

Hilla Turbowicz (‘26, Ph.D.) earned her doctoral MEES degree this past Spring 2026 from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Advised by Dr. Yonathan Zohar, Hilla’s dissertation research at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) focused on advancing reproductive biotechnology for aquaculture through the development of innovative hormone delivery systems that promote sexual maturation in commercially important marine fish species.

Prior to joining the MEES program, Hilla earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Sciences with a specialization in Biotechnology from the Ruppin Academic Center Faculty of Marine Sciences in Israel, graduating with a 3.9 GPA. During her undergraduate studies, she completed extensive coursework in marine biotechnology, endocrinology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, marine microbiology, aquaculture, biological oceanography, and statistics, building a strong interdisciplinary foundation in marine and molecular sciences.

As an undergraduate researcher, Hilla completed an independent research project under the supervision of Dr. Joseph Aizen investigating reproductive endocrinology in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). Her project, Identification of the Reproductive Cycle Stages in Green Sea Turtles Through the Use of Sex Hormones, combined laboratory experimentation with hormone analysis to characterize reproductive cycle stages, providing valuable experience in experimental design, endocrine physiology, and data analysis.

Alongside her academic studies, Hilla served as a Research Assistant in Dr. Alon Daya's laboratory at Ruppin Academic Center, where she investigated the role of the GNE gene in GNE myopathy using zebrafish as a model organism. Her responsibilities included conducting molecular biology experiments, maintaining laboratory records, and collaborating on research strategy and experimental development. She also worked as both a university tutor and private tutor, providing instruction in mathematics, biology, and English, while volunteering as a caretaker at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority Marine Turtle Rescue Center, where she assisted with the rehabilitation and veterinary care of injured sea turtles.

Faculty mentors consistently recognized Hilla for her intellectual curiosity, strong laboratory skills, exceptional work ethic, and research potential.  Since joining the MEES program in 2024, Hilla has pursued graduate research at IMET focused on developing plasmid-based hormonal therapies that accelerate sexual maturation in late-maturing aquaculture species. Her thesis research aims to optimize multi-hormonal plasmid delivery systems capable of inducing precocious puberty in longfin yellowtail (Seriola rivoliana), a high-value aquaculture species whose delayed reproductive maturation presents a major challenge for commercial production. Her work integrates molecular endocrinology, reproductive physiology, gene expression analysis, fish histology, and biotechnology to improve broodstock development and support more sustainable aquaculture practices.

Her thesis addressed a major challenge in aquaculture: some valuable fish species mature very slowly, making it difficult to breed them reliably in captivity. She investigated whether a combination of hormones could be used to safely and consistently speed up the reproductive development of young fish.

Hila hopes her research can provide a new promising approach for controlling reproduction in fish. By potentially reducing the need for repeated  hormonal injections, the technology could make fish breeding more efficient and less stressful and could help bring slow-maturing species into successful aquaculture production.

In addition to her research, Hilla has maintained outstanding academic performance in the MEES program, completing graduate coursework spanning molecular biology, endocrinology, next-generation sequencing, physiological ecology, environmental science, and professional development while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.925.

Hilla's research integrates marine biotechnology, reproductive physiology, and molecular endocrinology to develop innovative tools that improve reproductive efficiency in aquaculture. By advancing technologies that enable more sustainable broodstock management and reduce reliance on wild fish populations, her work contributes to environmentally responsible seafood production, resource-efficient aquaculture, and global food security. For more on Hilla, please click here.

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MEES RESEARCH CENTER

advancing aquatic science: harmful algal blooms

& ecosystem heatlh in the susquehanna flats

shayna keller (‘24, M.S.)

Shayna Keller (‘24, M.S.) is an environmental scientist and marine policy professional serving as a Knauss Fellow at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Shayna’s work with the EPA’s Office of Science and Technology in the Nutrients, Harmful Algal Bloom, and Biocriteria division focuses on water quality, harmful algal blooms, cyanobacteria, and aquatic ecosystem health. Her research and professional interests involve connecting aquatic science and environmental health with federal marine and environmental policy. Advised by Dr. Judith O’Neil at the Horn Point Laboratory, Shayna earned her M.S. in MEES from UMCES in 2024.  Shayna’s thesis investigated the microbial diversity and ecophysiology of filamentous cyanobacteria on the Susquehanna Flats, including the environmental factors associated with cyanobacterial growth, nitrogen fixation, associated microbial communities, and the potential ecological consequences of cyanobacterial mats for SAV habitats.

Before entering the MEES program, Keller earned a B.S. in Marine Science from Coastal Carolina University (CCU) in 2017.  While at CCU, her undergraduate coursework provided a broad foundation in marine and environmental science, including marine biology, marine geology, ecology, ichthyology, vertebrate zoology, marine chemistry, physical oceanography, marine plankton, advanced environmental science, and water quality.  Her academic achievements include being consistently on the Dean’s Honor List during several semesters and was a member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity and the Society of Leadership and Success.

Following her undergraduate degree from CCU, she worked at Walt Disney World’s The Seas with Nemo & Friends as a Marine Conservation Educator,  providing  informal education to guests of all ages on marine conservation, sustainability, conservation laws, marine science, and biological science. She also assisted with manatee husbandry and dolphin cognitive research. The position strengthened her ability to translate scientific and environmental concepts for public audiences and reinforced her interest in environmental education and communication.

A particularly important milestone in Keller’s professional development came through the Chesapeake Conservation Corps, where she worked with the Arundel Rivers Federation in the South River watershed from 2018 to 2019. Working with both the restoration and water-monitoring departments, she participated in stream restoration, living shoreline, and oyster-reef restoration projects; assisted with grant writing and volunteer coordination; and conducted fish-population surveys at restoration sites. She became a Maryland Department of Natural Resources-certified fish-shocking crew leader and gained extensive practical experience with watershed restoration and aquatic monitoring.

Keller subsequently worked for Path Light Pro, initially as a Field Consultant and later as an Area Manager, from 2019 to 2021. She conducted and managed construction stormwater-compliance projects across Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York. Her responsibilities included ensuring compliance with state construction general permits, stormwater pollution prevention plans, and local regulations; working with construction companies and environmental inspectors; and mitigating sediment and runoff pollution. As Area Manager, she supervised a team of five employees working across multiple states. This experience gave Keller a detailed understanding of stormwater regulation, hydrology, sediment pollution, and nutrient transport—issues that would become directly relevant to her graduate research interests in Chesapeake Bay water quality.

Keller entered the MEES Graduate Program in Fall 2022, specializing in Ecological Systems, with Dr. Judith O’Neil as her advisor at Horn Point Laboratory. Her master's research focused on the filamentous cyanobacterium Microseira wollei, formerly known as Lyngbya wollei, which forms mats on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds in the Susquehanna Flats of the upper Chesapeake Bay. Her thesis investigated the microbial diversity and ecophysiology of filamentous cyanobacteria on the Susquehanna Flats, including the environmental factors associated with cyanobacterial growth, nitrogen fixation, associated microbial communities, and the potential ecological consequences of cyanobacterial mats for SAV habitats.  An especially important component of Keller’s MEES research was her investigation of the toxicological potential of Microseira wollei. Field sampling during the summers of 2022 and 2023 produced samples of Microseira, sediment, and site water for laboratory analysis. Toxin analyses conducted in collaboration with Greg Boyer’s laboratory at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry field samples demonstrated that the Microseira samples produced saxitoxins, toxins associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning. 

Keller also conducted controlled laboratory experiments examining the relationship between nutrient availability, cyanobacterial growth, and nitrogen fixation.  These experiments were designed to determine how nutrient conditions influence Microseira growth and its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, providing insight into the ecological factors that may contribute to the persistence of cyanobacterial mats in Chesapeake Bay SAV habitats.

In 2024, through an Izaak Walton League of America Mid-Shore Chapter scholarship, she traveled to Denmark to participate in the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Identification Qualification in Harmful Marine Microalgae course at the University of Copenhagen. The intensive training provided instruction in the identification of harmful marine microalgae and their toxins using microscopy and complemented her Chesapeake Bay research on cyanobacteria and harmful algal blooms.  Keller successfully defended her M.S. thesis at Horn Point Laboratory on August 1, 2024. Her graduate research demonstrated that the filamentous cyanobacterium Microseira wollei is capable of producing saxitoxins and examined how nutrient conditions influence its growth and nitrogen-fixation capacity. By combining field sampling, laboratory experimentation, molecular analysis, and ecological interpretation, her research contributed to a better understanding of a relatively understudied cyanobacterial community occurring within an important Chesapeake Bay SAV habitat.

Following completion of her M.S., Keller transitioned from academic research into federal marine and environmental policy through the highly competitive John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. As a 2025 Knauss Fellow, she worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water, where her work included nutrient-pollution initiatives, harmful algal bloom issues, biological criteria, and the use of emerging scientific approaches to better understand stressors affecting aquatic ecosystems.  

Keller’s professional trajectory illustrates the interdisciplinary breadth of the MEES program. Her career has progressed from marine science and conservation education, through Chesapeake Bay restoration and water-quality monitoring, to environmental compliance and stormwater management, graduate research on harmful cyanobacteria and HABs, specialized training in harmful-microalgae identification, and ultimately federal environmental policy. Her combination of field experience, regulatory knowledge, ecological research, scientific communication, and policy experience positions her to help translate aquatic science into effective approaches for addressing water quality and environmental challenges. For more on Shayna Keller, please click here.

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