Waynesburg University students recently brought their coastal field research from Alabama to campus, presenting their findings at the 14th Annual Waynesburg University Research and Scholarly Work Symposium after completing an immersive spring break research experience along the Gulf Coast.
The Spring Break 2026 trip to Dauphin Island Sea Lab offered seven students the opportunity to engage in hands-on marine ecology research through BIO 295, a field-based course led by Dr. Christian Hayes, director of marine science and assistant professor of biology, alongside Dr. Tracy Dohn, associate professor of biology.
Dauphin Island Sea Lab is located on a 35-acre campus on the eastern end of Dauphin Island and is surrounded by Mobile Bay, the Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico, providing an optimal location for conducting research on a broad range of marine life.
The trip was supported in part through gifts made during Orange Week 2025, demonstrating the direct impact of donor generosity on student learning opportunities.
Trip participants included:
- Jake Botti, junior marine biology major
- GraceMarie Hazelton, senior applied science major
- Isabella Jellison, freshman marine biology major
- Savannah Lashmit, sophomore marine biology major
- Sterlin Mullins, sophomore environmental science major
- Grace Tanksley, senior environmental science major
- Tyler Waldmann, sophomore environmental science major
Throughout the trip, students conducted ecological fieldwork in Alabama’s salt marsh ecosystems, collecting and analyzing data while gaining firsthand experience in every stage of the scientific research process, from field sampling and data collection to analysis and public presentation.
“Leading this trip was an incredible experience for me,” said Hayes. “It enabled me to introduce my students to marine ecology in a place that I love, train them in useful field skills and provide each student with an immersive experience where they walked through every step of the research process, including presenting their work at the 14th Annual Waynesburg University Research and Scholarly Work Symposium. I could not be prouder of my students and the work they put into both the trip and the course, and am excited to see where God takes them.”
At the symposium, students presented their research findings through two collaborative projects examining species distribution and environmental impacts within salt marsh habitats.
One group presented “Fiddler Crab and Mud Crab (Uca and Xanthidae Species) Burrow Distribution in a Saltwater Marsh in Dauphin Island, Alabama.” Student researchers included Jake Botti, Sterlin Mullins and Grace Tanksley.
A second group presented “Water Inundation Effects on Striped Hermit Crab Shell Size and Abundance in a Salt Marsh.” This project was conducted by GraceMarie Hazelton, Isabella Jellison, Savannah Lashmit and Tyler Waldmann.
The field course offered students an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world research setting while developing technical skills in ecological sampling, scientific collaboration and professional presentation.
By connecting undergraduate students directly with research opportunities in their field, Waynesburg University continues to equip future scientists with the tools and experiences needed to make meaningful contributions to environmental and marine science.
Marine Biology Field Research Spring Break trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama
Photo credit: Dr. Christian Hayes
