As a young girl growing up, Dena Restaino had an innate inquisitiveness about the marine environment that was the backdrop of her family vacations at the Jersey Shore.<\/p>\n
When she entered Montclair State University in 2011 to pursue a master\u2019s in Biology, she found an academic outlet for her childhood fascination: a hands-on opportunity to assist Biology Professors Jack Gaynor and Paul Bologna with Department of Environmental Protection-funded research on the Jersey Shore\u2019s growing population of jellyfish. The work, which from the beginning included both lab and field research, engaged multiple aspects of Restaino\u2019s scientific ambition and ultimately led her to the topic of her Environmental Management PhD\u00a0dissertation, which she is slated to complete in May 2018.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the beginning, the jellyfish project was a blend of traditional bench work and field ecology,\u201d says Restaino. \u201cI got to spend a lot of the summers out on the bay, working in the field, collecting specimens and then I got to bring them back into the lab and do the molecular analysis on them. It was a great combination, and that\u2019s what drew me into the program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Small class size, interdisciplinary curriculum and individual academic mentoring provided Restaino with the freedom to pursue her specific interest and helped her find her scientific niche. This, in turn, led to a natural progression from her master\u2019s degree to her doctoral studies.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to go from a Master\u2019s to a Ph.D. at the same university has enabled me to build relationships with the professors I work with, and they\u2019ve been able to help me tailor my research and focus on what I specifically want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n