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PALMETTO, Fla. – Taking their acquired knowledge of Rhode Island’s shellfish over a thousand miles south, two students in �������츣��һ��’s inaugural Blue Fellows Program interned this summer at the (GSI), where they applied their aquaculture skills to shellfish farming in Florida. 

Meghan Purcell ’25 and Kiley Ruffhead ’25 are the latest students to intern with GSI, a partnership with RWU’s Center for Economic and Environmental Development. The partnership was developed through Elizabeth Moore HD’24, who serves on the GSI Advisory Board and received an honorary degree from Roger Williams in 2024, to provide students with training in shellfish conservation and sustainable aquaculture across the ecosystems and economies of Florida and Rhode Island. 

After completing undergraduate aquaculture and aquarium science research at CEED, Purcell and Ruffhead – both of whom graduated with a BS. in Marine Biology – wanted to take advantage of expanding their independent research to Florida’s ecosystems. In their GSI fellowships, Purcell investigated the feeding behavior of the hard clam, Mercenaria campechiensis, while, Ruffhead focused her research on the mark and recapture methodology for the southern hard-shell clam for applied science purposes.

“Being an RWU Blue Fellow this summer has allowed me to gain experience and learn new skills in a new environment that will help me in my future academic studies,” said Purcell, of Colchester, Conn. 

Purcell’s passion for shellfish aquaculture started during her undergraduate experiences at RWU. She worked in the CEED Wet Lab, culturing algae for RWU’s aquarium and shellfish hatchery operations for four years. Purcell said she plans to continue expanding her interest in shellfish at the University of South Florida at St. Petersburg while she pursues a master’s in Marine Science. “I want my career to contribute to research about the conservation and restoration of marine species, which this internship prepared me for.” 

As for Ruffhead, her time at RWU focused on the development of sustainable methods for shellfish farming and water quality testing. She said her time as a Blue Fellow at GSI helped her develop critical research skills, especially in scientific writing, experimental design and planning, as well as gaining more field research diving experience.

“I expanded my knowledge of Florida’s shellfish aquaculture industry and learned how GSI contributes to advancing sustainable practices,” said Ruffhead, of Reisterstown, M.D. “My Blue Fellows position at GSI helped me further my research experience by exposing me to new techniques and challenges working with different species that will help me in future endeavors.”

After she completes her work at GSI as a Blue Fellow, Ruffhead will start a new position as Research Technician in the Aquaculture and Breeding Technology Center at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. “I look forward to contributing to applied research projects and collaborating with a team that shares my passion for protecting coastal ecosystems through innovative and sustainable aquaculture solutions.”

2025 RWU Blue Fellows Spotlight Series

The �������츣��һ�� Blue Fellows Program, part of the Blue Solutions Institute at RWU, offers students immersive, hands-on internships with faculty researchers and industry leaders. The program is supported by a generous gift from Elizabeth Moore, a conservationist and environmental philanthropist and a 2024 RWU honorary degree recipient. Read all the stories of our inaugural cohort in our 2025 RWU Blue Fellows Spotlight Series.