AlgEE Lab in Summer 2025 from left to right: Sarah Allen (MS student), Xander Geragotelis (MS student), Sophia Tearman (PhD Student), Isabel Volden (James Monroe Scholar and W&M Undergrad), Will Justice (Bonnie Sue Intern and Radford University undergrad), Dr. Ana Tavares (Postdoctoral Fellow also in Amsler Lab at UAB), and Dr. Stacy Krueger-Hadfield (Principal Investigator)

Postdocs

Dr. Ana Tavares
Postdoctoral Fellow
​AlgEE Lab: 2025-present (Based at UAB in the Amsler lab)

Ana is a marine molecular ecologist whose work is focused on population genetics and evolutionary biology of habitat-forming species, particularly macroalgae and seagrasses, to address various topics including demographic history, population connectivity, and range shifts in a changing climate. She is officially based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Amsler Lab, but conducted all molecular work for the Antarctica Gradients Genetics project at VIMS ESL.

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Dr. Danielle Hatt
Raise Postdoctoral Fellow
AlgEE Lab: Beginning in 2026

Danielle is a phycologist and ecophysiologist whose research investigates the ecological and physiological drivers of marine macroalgae and seagrasses by integrating genetic, molecular, and experimental approaches to understand bloom dynamics, invasion success, and resilience under environmental change.

PhD Students

Sophia Tearman
PhD student
​AlgEE Lab: 2025-present

Sophia is a PhD student studying the ecological genetics of complex life cycles. She grew up in Texas, and completed both her M.S. and B.S. in marine science at the University of New England. She enjoys indoor gardening and crafts outside of research.

MS Students

Xander Geragotelis
MS student
​AlgEE Lab: ​2024-present
Snow algal reproductive mode variation

Xander is an MS student studying snow algae. He is originally from Massachusetts and outside of VIMS he enjoys biking.

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Sarah Allen
MS student
​AlgEE Lab: 2025-present

Sarah is an MS student studying reproductive mode variation in red algae. She is originally from western NY and completed her B.S. at the University of Oregon. Sarah enjoys traveling and knitting outside of research at VIMS.

Undergraduate Students

Isabel Volden
W&M Monroe Scholar
​AlgEE Lab: 2025-present
Macroalgal epibiota and life cycle variation

Isabel is a W&M undergrad and Monroe Scholar planning to major in Coastal & Marine Sciences. Although she grew up near the mountains in Earlysville, Virginia, she enjoys being closer to the coast while working at ESL.

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Will Justice
Bonnie Sue Intern - Summer 2025
Radford Univeristy
​AlgEE Lab: 2025-present
Algal photophysiology