Hilde Speight

Entered Program: 2013
Primary Track: Coastal and Estuarine Ecology
Adviser: Dr. David Griffith
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Education: BS Biological Science/Marine Biology – Florida Institute of Technology, MS Environmental Science, Florida Atlantic University
E-mail: zenilh13@students.ecu.edu
Research Interests: My past research has focused on studying oyster restoration.

I’m particularly motivated to use passive acoustics (naturally occurring sounds) to monitor the estuarine and marine environment. It fascinates me how the combination of sounds produced by associated species’ communication, feeding, or moving produces unique acoustic signatures, which can be used to convey information about habitat. My master’s research centered on a large scale (21 acres) oyster restoration project that took place in the St. Lucie Estuary, Florida. The CRM program will further equip me to be able to integrate fisheries scientific knowledge with the policy process.