Amelia McDonald and Diandre’ Richie spent time as Master of Environmental Management students working with the Duke Bass Connections team "Climate Change Impacts on Farmed and Wild Oysters."

McDonald concentrated in Coastal and Marine Systems and Community ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ment and Environmental Justice. Richie concentrated in Coastal and Marine Systems and Environmental Economics and Policy. 

project teams bring together faculty and students from across Duke, along with external partners, to tackle complex societal challenges.

Duke Environment recently caught up with McDonald and Richie to learn more about their experience. 

Briefly Describe your project

Three researchers in shallow water inspect oyster reef equipment and collect field data during a coastal restoration project.

McDonald: Our Bass Connections project explores how environmental variability affects oyster performance and mortality across aquaculture sites in North Carolina, which has been a concern for local oyster farmers facing mass mortality events. We conducted fieldwork, lab work, and data analysis to measure environmental conditions alongside oyster growth and survival. By comparing multiple farming sites, we identified patterns to better understand how environmental stressors are linked to reduced oyster performance and mass mortality events. Ultimately, our work aims to support oyster farmers by improving understanding of how changing environmental conditions impact aquaculture systems.

Richie: Oysters provide critical ecosystem services supporting fisheries, improving water quality, and stabilizing shorelines, but are increasingly threatened by climate‑driven stressors such as warming, acidification, and disease. Through field‑based monitoring at the Duke Aquafarm and regional farms, students will collect continuous environmental data and assess oyster performance to identify links between stress exposure and genetic resilience. The project integrates training in climate change biology, molecular ecology, and environmental management while fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange with local oyster farmers to inform adaptive management and strengthen coastal aquaculture.

What excited you the most about taking part in a Bass Connections Project this year?

McDonald: I was most excited about the interdisciplinary nature of the project. We had the opportunity to work in the field on the Duke oyster farm and other study sites, process biological samples in the lab, and analyze environmental datasets, which gave us broad research experiences. I also really valued the chance to practice scientific communication, translating our findings into poster presentations and discussions with both academic and broader audiences, such as oyster farmers.

Richie: What excited me most about being part of this Bass Connections team was experiencing the entire research process from start to finish. I was able to collect data in the field, analyze samples in the lab, work with data in R, and ultimately create a poster that told a clear scientific story. This team offered a truly comprehensive research experience while allowing me to collaborate with others at the Duke Marine Lab and on Duke’s main campus.

How has participating in your Bass Connections team shaped your time at Duke? Has it impacted your future career directions?

ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½s and researchers stand in shallow water examining oysters and recording observations at an oyster reef restoration site.

McDonald: Participating in Bass Connections has given me the opportunity to work closely with professors, who have been incredible mentors, and to build strong relationships across both graduate and undergraduate students.

This project has also been a great way to bridge the gap between the Duke Marine Lab and main campus to create a more connected and collaborative ocean sciences community! Through this experience, I’ve also further developed my interest in pursuing aquaculture as a tool for environmental restoration and sustainable seafood, while gaining valuable hands-on experience that has helped me in my job search for post-grad opportunities.

Richie: Participating in my Bass Connections team greatly enhanced my time at Duke, especially since I wanted more hands-on and field-based experience at the Duke Marine Lab.

This project challenged me to think critically about topics I was less familiar with, while building practical research skills. It also influenced my future career directions by helping me identify what I enjoy, what I want to improve, and the importance of collaboration across institutions and with local stakeholders, like oyster farmers.

What advice would you give to students considering a Bass Connections Project or currently in the program?

Richie: My main advice to students considering Bass Connections is to think carefully about their interests, skills, and what they want to gain from being part of a research team.

Because Bass Connections does not follow a fixed class schedule, it’s important to realistically consider your course load and time availability. Finally, have fun and don’t overthink it. Bass Connections is meant to be an enjoyable, collaborative experience, and you truly get out of it what you put into it.

 

Five students pose in front of a scientific research poster during a poster session.