Stamford Students Complete SoundWaters Research Intensive

STAMFORD, CT — Three Stamford students conducted field-based research this semester through the SoundWaters Research Intensive, an experiential program focused on hands-on study of Long Island Sound.

The students — Andres Cabrera, a freshman at the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering; Kayla Parker, a senior at Stamford High School; and Jenna Zerrusen, a senior at Westhill High School — took part in the program alongside peers from across the region.

The initiative is run by SoundWaters and is based at the Cohen SoundWaters Harbor Center on Stamford Harbor.

The Research Intensive allows students to design and carry out original studies examining water quality, animal populations, human impact and climate change in Long Island Sound. This semester, the students conducted both field and laboratory research to analyze how environmental change and human activity affect local ecosystems.

Their projects addressed a range of topics, including the spread of the invasive parasite Loxothylacus panopaei on native mud crabs, benthic animal populations around Stamford Harbor, and Eastern Oyster Disease, Perkinsus marinus, and its ecological implications.

"SoundWaters helped me see how much there is to learn about the environment right in my own backyard," Parker said in a news release. "The program gave me the tools to understand and study the marine life around Stamford Harbor."

"The Research Intensive program provides students the tools to conduct college-level science while deepening their understanding of the Long Island Sound ecosystem," said Christina Genz, SoundWaters director of education. "Students leave the program with advanced research skills, confidence and a strengthened passion for protecting the environment."

Scholarships for the Research Intensive are supported by the Munzer Foundation, 11th Hour Racing and the Pettee Family, helping to ensure students from a range of backgrounds are able to participate.