Director
Dr. Frick's research interests are in areas of animal behavior, welfare, and conservation, and biopsychology of learning in animal models. She has experience conducting research with wild animals and animals housed in managed-care facilities, including: bottlenose dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, sea otters, Asian small-clawed otters, hippopotamus, polar bears, sea lions, Pacific walrus, sea turtles, zebrafish, and rats. Across all teaching and research endeavors, Dr. Frick is committed to and enthusiastic about creating opportunities for undergraduate students at Eckerd College to conduct research. She provides instruction, supervision, and mentorship to students as they learn the research process from start to finish and apply concepts learned in the classroom to laboratory and field-work settings.
Learn more about Dr. Erin Frick here!
Lara Eade
Co-Lab Manager
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsLara is a senior at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies, and minoring in Biology and Data Science. She plans to pursue graduate school and a career in animal behavior research and welfare science. Lara is interested in studying dominance hierarchies and social networks, and is especially passionate about exploring ways we can enhance animal welfare through data-driven decision-making.
Contact Information: lmeade@eckerd.edu
Emily redding
Co-Lab Manager
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsEmily is a junior at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and Communications, with a minor in Data Science. She has worked with a wide range of species from otters to dolphins to polar bears, and has even had the pleasure of working with an elephant seal. In the future, she hopes to work with marine mammals through either research or training.
Contact Information: ecredding@eckerd.edu
bradi dagel
Lab Assistant
Bottlenose Dolphin ProjectBradi is a junior at Eckerd College double majoring in Animal Studies and Music. Her love for marine life grew through programs like Trainer for a Day and DolphinLab at Dolphin Research Center, where she gained valuable insights into conservation and research. This past summer, she served as a shift lead at a dog daycare, enhancing her leadership and animal care skills. Excited to begin volunteering at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in February, Bradi is focused on developing her expertise in training and observation, all while aspiring to become a marine mammal specialist in the future.
Gracie Barrentine
Project Lead
Bottlenose Dolphin ProjectGracie is a senior at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. She is very interested in behavior modification, which is why she loves doing research for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium projects. Gracie has completed two animal care and training internships with the Africa department at ZooTampa and at Island Dolphin Care in the Florida Keys. Her hopes are to become a marine or terrestrial mammal trainer and eventually get her PhD in comparative psychology or animal behavior.
elle donoghue
Data Analyst
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsElle is a first-year at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies, with a double minor in Biology and Public Health. She hopes to pursue a career in animal rehabilitation or animal care in a zoo setting. She is very interested in conservation, behavioral research, and animal training. Elle has experience shadowing at a vet clinic and has completed an internship at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium working with animals from Asia.
Lydia mckeever
Lab Assistant
Bottlenose Dolphin ProjectLydia is double majoring in Animal and Environmental studies and minoring in Marine Science and Spanish. Lydia is passionate about researching animal behavior and linking that to conservation efforts of endangered species. She would love to one day work as a wildlife biologist, in rescue rehab, or environmental education.
angela ferraro
Project Lead
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsAngela is a junior at Eckerd College majoring in Marine Science and Animal Studies. After participating in the Trainer-for-a-Day program at Xel-Ha Park in Mexico, she became fascinated with animal behavior with a focus on marine life. She is particularly focused on pursuing a career in rescue and rehabilitation for marine mammals. She hopes to use the knowledge she acquires from the project to work in a successful program that helps to rehabilitate and release injured marine mammals back into the wild.
Tanya Mollo
Lab Assistant
Bottlenose Dolphin ProjectTanya is a sophomore at Eckerd College majoring in Marine Science and minoring in Animal Studies and Creative Writing. Tanya’s goal is a career as an aquarist, with a focus on animal welfare and enrichment. She is excited to gain lab experience and learn how to turn her passion for observing animals into valuable scientific data.
Morgan Frieling
Data Collector
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsMorgan is a senior at Eckerd College pursuing an Animal Studies major, with a minor in Biology. She is interested in rescue and rehab but also enjoys wildlife conservation. Morgan is a certified SCUBA diver and loves marine animals. Morgan also works as a professional mermaid and loves to teach children about ways to keep the ocean clean.
katie gallagher
Data Analyst
Clearwater Marine Aquarium Projects & Carnivore Problem Solving ProjectKatie is a junior at Eckerd College double majoring in Psychology and Animal Studies, with a minor in Marketing. She hopes to go into the field of animal care and zookeeping, with a focus on collaborative breeding efforts for conservation of species and restoration of wild populations.
jordyn hillhouse
Lab Assistant
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsJordyn is a first-year at Eckerd College double majoring in Animal Studies and Biology. She is interested in a career in zoological veterinary medicine, and in studying the behavior and welfare of large mammals. Jordyn is currently a Certified Veterinary Assistant who gained experience at Hope and Love Veterinary Hospital and enjoys working with small pets including dogs, cats, and rabbits. She worked on rabbit training for three years and showed a Holland Lop at the 2024 Florida State Fair.
Madeline loiselle
Data Collector
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsMadeline is a junior at Eckerd College majoring in Biology and minoring in Animal Studies on the pre-vet track. She is very passionate about veterinary care and animal welfare. She hopes to continue examining animal behavior and relating it to each animal's welfare. She is so excited to continue working on projects with the FAB Lab!
Savannah Motz
Data Analyst
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsSavannah is a first-year at Eckerd College double majoring in Marine Science and Animal Studies. During her college career, both undergraduate and graduate, she plans to participate in as much animal behavior research as possible. Savannah's research interests lie in cetacean behavior and communication, but she is open to studying other mammals and reptiles as well.
This interaction was supervised by animal care professionals at Island Dolphin Care
JJ Mullen
Lab Assistant
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsJJ is a junior at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and Psychology, with a minor in Music. She is primarily interested in acoustic behaviors in cetaceans and aspires to be involved in research and conservation programs when she leaves Eckerd. She has recently worked with Cape Ann Whale Watch on humpback whale research.
Kenzie murphy
Data Collector
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsKenzie is a senior at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and Environmental Studies, with a minor in Biology. She spent the 2023 summer as an REU student at the University of North Florida and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, where she researched Atlantic stingrays' welfare and social dynamics. She hopes to continue researching welfare and wants to pursue a master's degree after graduation.
Kaylee O'Bryan
Project Lead
Carnivore Problem Solving ProjectKaylee is a senior at Eckerd College and majoring in Animal Studies and Psychology. Kaylee has always had a strong passion for the well-being and cognition of animals and is most interested in dogs, manatees, big cats, and primates. She hopes to go to veterinary school after graduation.
Lily Oehlkers
Data Collector
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsLily is a junior at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and minoring in Women & Gender Studies. Lily is especially interested in marine mammal and bird psychology and communication. Outside of the lab, they enjoy singing and participating in on-campus theatre. They also interned at the New England Aquarium on their whale-watching team!
caroline tapalian
Data Analyst
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsCaroline is a sophomore at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and minoring in Psychology. After graduating, she intends to pursue a career in animal behavior research. She is highly passionate about her work with animals and has even self-trained her service dog, Mookie, who has been named FAB Lab's honorary Pup Assistant.
elena torres
Data Collector
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsElena is a sophomore at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies, with a double minor in Anthropology and Spanish. Elena has a strong interest in primates, as well as marine mammals. She is also a student researcher for the Conservation Behavior Lab, conducting observations of the orangutans at ZooTampa.
Cassie Sciarra
Lab Assistant
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsCassie is a sophomore at Eckerd College majoring in Biology and Animal Studies, with a double minor in Chemistry and Spanish. She's worked in a small animal veterinary hospital for 4 years and has grown up on a hobby farm with horses, a pig, a cow, chickens, ducks, goats, dogs, cats, and parrots. She loves all animals and wants to gain experience with marine mammals and wildlife. She is planning on going to veterinary school after graduation
Kenzie Walker
Lab Assistant
Bottlenose Dolphin ProjectKenzie is a sophomore at Eckerd College majoring in Animal Studies and Psychology. She hopes to go into the field of animal-assisted interventions after graduation and is interested in dolphin behavior and dolphin-assisted interventions. Kenzie is so excited to join FAB Lab and partake in these amazing research studies!
Raevan Rhoden
Lab Analyst
Clearwater Marine Aquarium ProjectsRaeven is Junior majoring in Animal Studies/Anthropology at Eckerd College! Her plan is to pursue graduate school with the intention of studying human-wildcat conflicts (poaching, deforestation, cultural viewpoints, general endangerment, etc.) from an anthropological point of view. The goal is to use various conservation strategies to help solve these conflicts and protect felines all around the globe. She is a former veterinary technician, working with both cats and dogs of all sizes (and chickens!)
Madison Campbell
Lab Assistant
Bottlenose Dolphin ProjectMadison Campbell is a Marine Science and Animal Studies major at Eckerd College, with a strong interest in studying ethology and animal behavior. She is particularly passionate about understanding animal interactions and promoting conservation efforts. Outside of her academic pursuits, Madison is an active member of the Search and Rescue team, where she helps both people and animals in distress, typically including manatees and birds. After graduation, Madison aspires to work in animal welfare and conservation, applying her knowledge in hopes to make a meaningful impact on animal behavior and rehabilitation.