MSSEP students continue to make waves in marine research. MSSEP graduate Helena Norton (MSSEP ’22) is currently a Master’s student at UMass Dartmouth, working alongside research faculty on innovative projects, such as video trawl surveying. This research uses underwater cameras within trawl nets to observe, count, and measure fish in their natural habitats, eliminating the need for capture.

Helena’s Master’s research focuses on the demographics of spiny dogfish on Georges Bank and in the Gulf of Maine, exploring how environmental and biological factors shape their distribution and population dynamics. Helena recently published articles in American Fisheries Society and Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture. Through hands-on research, MSSEP students gain valuable experience and contribute to advancing marine science.