Dr. Sara Cernadas-Martin, Senior Post-Doc
Dr. Sara Cernadas-Martin has had a long relationship with IOCS and is currently our Senior Post-Doctoral Associate. Sara is an interdisciplinary scientist with knowledge spanning the fields of marine biology, molecular genetics, and conservation ecology. She supervises and manages the fisheries-related research of the ShiRP Project, and is working with Dr. Pikitch to establish our new environmental DNA (eDNA) program to track species richness in Long Island estuaries.
In addition to her position with us at Stony Brook University, Sara is also an Adjunct Professor at Suffolk County Community College, where she teaches Introduction to Oceanography and Marine Biology.
Some of her students have been so inspired by Sara that many have joined our organization as volunteers or interns! Sara's incredible dedication to teaching and student support has been recognized by the Nuria Protopopescu Memorial Teaching Award, a competitive award granted to those who demonstrate excellence, innovation, and creativity in lesson plans and student engagement.
Sara first joined us in 2012 when she became a Ph.D. Student in the Pikitch Lab within IOCS. Her research focused on the ecological characterization of summer flounder in Shinnecock Bay. Specifically, she studied their trophic dynamics, habitat distribution and preference, migration patterns, and otolith microchemistry. Before graduating in 2019, she was recognized as a Dr. W. Burghardt Turner Fellow for her strong commitment to inclusivity and community development. Sara holds an M.S. degree in Marine and Atmospheric Science from SBU and a Licentiate in Biology from the Universitat de Barcelona (UB) in Spain.