NOAA-EPP LMRCSC Master’s Graduate
M.S., Biology – Environmental Track
Hampton University
Ian Santos graduated from Hampton University with an M.S. in Marine Biology in 2025. His research involved analyzing tissue samples of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) to obtain genetic data to place this population in a broader context relative to other breeding colonies around the continent. At the limit of their distribution, Weddell seals in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula can provide unique insights into environmental change, as it is one of the areas of the globe with the most dramatic warming.
Research Theme: Stock Assessment
NOAA LMRCSC Fellows attain the NOAA Core Competencies detailed in this rubric.
NERTO Project Title: Investigating Pinniped Ecology in the North Antarctic Peninsula
NOAA Mentor: Drs. Douglas Krause and Jaelyn Leslie, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) Program
Academic Advisor: Dr. Carolina Lewallen
NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center
University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Lead Institution)
(410) 651-7870
Award numbers: FY 2021 Award #NA21SEC4810005
Funding Agency: NOAA Educational Partnership Program (EPP/MSI)
