生物学Ph值.D. Student Nets Virginia Sea Grant 2022 RESEARCH生 RESEARCH Fellowship
In her research fellowship, Sierra Hildebrandt will focus on living shorelines, a type of nature-based approach for shoreline protection.
By Tiffany Whitfield
Sierra Hildebrandt, a Ph.D. student in Old Dominion University's Department of Biological Sciences, has received a Virginia Sea Grant 2022 RESEARCH生 RESEARCH Fellowship.
希尔德布兰特是今年联邦竞争RESEARCH奖的七名获奖者之一. 弗吉尼亚海洋基金将从2022年秋季开始为希尔德布兰特提供为期两年的资金. As part of her fellowship, 她将在弗吉尼亚州创建一个生物海岸线项目数据库，并评估生物海岸线的长期表现.
As a Hampton Roads native, this is a dream come true.
"I grew up in Hampton on a small tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, 正是在那里，我萌生了了解沿海生态系统的愿望," Hildebrandt said. “但生活在同一个地方让我看到了我们的系统是如何相互联系和变化的, and I think that is fascinating."
Hildebrandt began as an ODU undergraduate, 2018年，她获得了生物学理学学士学位，主修海洋科学，之后她对沿海生态系统的迷恋与日俱增. Then she earned Master of Science in biology at Hampton University, where her research focused on alternative oyster restoration techniques. “因此，我与该地区的非营利组织和企业建立了很多很好的联系,她说.
当她在寻找一所可以攻读博士学位的学校时，她的时机是无可挑剔的.D.
“我知道我想留在这个地区，继续建立我的网络，结交新的朋友," Hildebrandt said. “然而, 我也知道我想继续RESEARCH牡蛎，把我感兴趣的领域扩展到沿海和湿地系统."
留下的决定最终让她找到了助理教授泰勒·斯洛伊, a wetland biologist who was new to ODU.
"I happened to come across Dr. 在斯洛伊成为新员工后，她的推特主页就被我盯上了，我联系了她。.
They met via Zoom, 希尔德布兰特立刻对作为博士生与斯洛伊一起工作感到兴奋. 让她在2021年开始工作的是斯洛伊对帮助她追求湿地RESEARCH兴趣的兴趣.
“我喜欢这个. 斯洛伊对我非常开放，让我继续我的牡蛎RESEARCH，同时融入更多的沿海和湿地植物RESEARCH," Hildebrandt said. 和博士一起工作. Sloey will put me where I want to be five years from now, and I think that is important coming into a Ph.D. 程序."
"Since Sierra joined the PhD 程序 at ODU in 2021, she has hit the ground running working with Virginia's living shorelines,斯洛伊说. 她与当地生活的海岸线利益相关者密切相关，经常在汉普顿路周围的修复项目中担任志愿者. 她有机会加入2022年弗吉尼亚海洋格兰特RESEARCH生RESEARCH奖学金班，这是当之无愧的，肯定会推动她在未来几年成为我们海岸线的捍卫者."
The Fellowship consists of research and outreach components.
"For my research, I will be focusing on living shorelines, which are a type of nature-based approach for shoreline protection," Hildebrandt said.
生物海岸线是传统海岸线防护(如海堤或舱壁)的另一种方法，并结合了沼泽植物和牡蛎等自然特征，在保持生态系统服务提供的同时模仿自然生态系统的保护服务, including shoreline stabilization and improvement of water quality.
“在维吉尼亚州, policies have been implemented to promote use of living shorelines, but widespread use has been limited by the lack of long-term data, 因此，在我作为VASGRESEARCH生RESEARCH员的RESEARCH期间，我将致力于随着时间的推移评估活海岸线的表现，并在历史上服务不足的Community中确定活海岸线优先级的区域," Hildebrandt said.
Hildebrandt will also collaborate with a professional mentor at 湿地的手表 制作与活的海岸线和她的RESEARCH相关的宣传材料. 湿地观察是诺福克的一个非营利组织，致力于通过州和联邦的倡导来保护湿地, education and local activism.
“我们很高兴地欢迎一群极其多样化的RESEARCH生RESEARCH员加入VASG的学生和专业队伍," said Troy Hartley, 主任 Virginia Sea Grant. "Their unique lived experiences, 观点和兴趣将推动创新，这对解决弗吉尼亚的沿海问题至关重要. 我们期待着在未来的岁月里支持他们的专业发展."
"I am fascinated by everything in biology/ecology," said Hildebrandt. “我想这就是我选择这条职业道路的原因，因为我从不停止问问题."
Coming into ODU's Ph.D. 程序 requires a five-year commitment.
希尔德布兰特说:“到目前为止，我真的很享受在ODU读RESEARCH生的时光. "While I do not know all the faculty, 和我交往的人都很真诚，很关心ODU的学生. 他们希望我们最终成为全面发展的科学家，实现我们的目标."
沿着弗吉尼亚海岸线做RESEARCH仍然让希尔德布兰特着迷.
"As far as research, 好吧, 你找不到比切萨皮克湾及其支流更好的RESEARCH地点了,她说. "I get to do what I love in the area that has already given me so much, 希望能改善我们的海岸线和水道，创造更美好的未来."
