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BRISTOL, R.I. – Through hands-on aquaculture and diagnostic research at the university’s Center for Economic and Environmental Development (CEED), two students in �鶹ɫ��Ƭ’s inaugural Blue Fellows Program spent their summer advancing sustainability for shellfish growers and marine health in coastal ecosystems.

While each conducted different research fellowships, they both fulfilled CEED’s mission of advancing the local, regional, national, and global Blue Economy by working to addresschallenges facing human health and the coastal environment through education, research, outreach, and training.

Heidi Hoeft ’26 worked on �鶹ɫ��Ƭ’s FerryCliffe Aquaculture Farm, where she established husbandry practices while learning more about the shellfish industry and their methods of practice. 

Under the supervision of Malcolm Bowen, Aquaculture Field Operations Manager at �鶹ɫ��Ƭ, Hoeft, a Marine Biology major from Lapeer, Mich., researched and developed best husbandry practices, standard operating procedures, and management practices for critical Rhode Island shellfish species, including bay scallops, oysters, and hard-shelled clams. As part of �鶹ɫ��Ƭ’s educational outreach mission, FerryCliffe Aquaculture Farm’s improvements in cultivation and management practices are shared with local farmers to help advance their culturing practices, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the region’s blue economy.

Being a native of Michigan, a career in shellfish aquaculture did not initially cross Hoeft’s mind. “We do not have shellfish aquaculture in Michigan like we do here, so coming here, I thought I wanted to be in the Wet Lab working with all of the fish. Then my friends here all worked in the Shellfish Hatchery, so they got me excited about that,” said Hoeft. “I just got super interested in it, and knowing how important shellfish aquaculture is to this part of the U.S., I wanted to get into this field and learn everything I can about shellfish farming and aquaculture in general.” 

Hoeft also has experience working in �鶹ɫ��Ƭ’s indoor shellfish hatchery. But the world of shellfish farming is largely new to her and she was eager to use the �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Blue Fellows position to experience a completely new aspect of aquaculture. “I spent the summer learning first-hand what goes into shellfish farming. I did not know anything about that until I came to �鶹ɫ��Ƭ, so I am excited to keep learning the methods and learning how to support shellfish growers here on the East Coast.”

Meanwhile, Konnor Collins ’25, who will graduate with a B.S. in Marine Biology and minors in Math and Sustainability Studies in December, spent his summer analyzing the impacts of oyster larvae behavior after exposure to Margalefidinium polykrikoides (MP), the microscopic organism that causes “rust tide.” While not toxic to humans, exposure to MPs is harmful to marine life, including shellfish – and Collins was excited to work on a project that could help better the understanding of its impact. 

“There is currently very little known about how rust tide can impact oysters, especially when they are young, in their larval stages, so we hope our studies will support a more sustainable aquaculture industry,” said Collins, of Broken Arrow, Okla.

Collins's goal in his fellowship was to hone his research skills in his newfound passion for molecular biology. For two years, Collins worked in �鶹ɫ��Ƭ’s Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL), where he assisted on a project, in collaboration with the robotics firm , to develop an environmental DNA collection device with autonomous underwater vehicles. This latest role as an �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Blue Fellow both expanded his scientific experiences while helping to focus where his marine biology passions lie. 

“I have always wanted to be a marine biologist, but I did not know the avenue of biology that I wanted to get into. Through my work here, I have been able to sharpen my focus, and now I know what I want to do,” said Collins. “I have been getting really into my work in molecular biology, so I want to go to grad school and continue to focus on disease research and microbiology. Working and learning here in the ADL is moving me toward that goal.”

2025 �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Blue Fellows Spotlight Series

The �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Blue Fellows Program, part of the Blue Solutions Institute at �鶹ɫ��Ƭ, offers students immersive, hands-on internships with faculty researchers and industry leaders. The program is supported by a generous gift from Elizabeth Moore, a conservationist and environmental philanthropist and a 2024 �鶹ɫ��Ƭ honorary degree recipient. Read all the stories of our inaugural cohort in our 2025 �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Blue Fellows Spotlight Series.